THE HINGE OF FAITH AND RELIGION; OR, A Proof of the Deity against Atheists and Profane Persons, by Reason, and the Testimony of Holy Scripture: the Divinity of which is demonstrated,  
By L. Cappel, Doctor and Professor in Divinity.  
Translated out of French By Philip Marinel, M. A. and Fellow of Pembroke-College in Oxford.  
Printed for Thomas Dring, at the George near St- Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet. 1660.   

To the WORSHIPFUL St-JOHN CHERNOCK, Esquire.  
IT was not any desire I had to appear in Public, that incited me to set forth these Dr. Cappel's last Works in English: I am conscious enough to myself of my defects. Neither would I have ventured ever to let this Translation see the light; but that some Friends persuaded me, that this piece against Atheism was very seasonable in these Times, where almost every body (through our late unhappy Distractions, and Toleration of the wildest Fancies in matter of Divine Worship) is to seek for his Religion. And it is to be feared, that many, who profess outwardly the Principles of Religion, have yet no sound apprehensions of the main Foundation of it, viz. Of the Deity: which they (I mean, most part of the Common people) seldom think of: or, if they do, they have such conceptions of it, as that it would make a man of Reason think, he is not of the same kind. So grossly, and so absurdly, they do talk of the Almighty, and of those matters in Religion, which Natural Reason teacheth: that I have often been in the mind, to think with an ancient Philosopher, that the Forms of Asses, and Hogs, did now and then animate those Bodies, which are framed in the shape of a Man, and which are common amongst us. But I have since perceived, that these things (for I knew not what other names to give them) were apt to be taught; that they indeed had Reason, and that really they were men, and therefore had Souls to save: which, I am sure, they cannot do, unless they have a right apprehension of the Deity; in these places especially, where they have means enough afforded them to effect this. This small Treatise will, I am sure, (if read seriously, and without prejudice) help such ignorant people very much. But it is not the main end, for which it was intended. It is wholly to confute a company of Ruffling Fellows, who call themselves the Strong Wits, forsooth! and that with an Emphasis too: who think it is a piece of Gallantry to deny a God, and a Providence, and who indeed would have it so, for the Reasons alleged in the first Chapter of this Book. They shall find here satisfaction enough; if they do but take the leisure to peruse it. I am not ignorant, that there have been many pieces made by sundry Learned men upon this subject: but I never read, or heard of any, who hath handled it in this Method, and so clearly. And, since I am utterly uncapable to express, and set forth the Praises and Eulogies due to the worthy Author, I will rather choose to bury them in silence, and let him gain it himself, in his Book: the Translation of which I undertook at first, but to satisfy a Friend's desire. I have done it as well as I could, and to a sincere end, and therefore I do not much fear to be blamed. As for the Publication of it, your own incitement, Honoured Sir, was a sufficient Motive to attempt it: and I do here humbly present it to you, as a Testimony of that Gratitude I am bound to pay you, for those manifold favours you have Honoured me withal; and as a Token of that Respect I owe unto your Piety and Virtue, which is the Nobility God hath eminently endowed you with; besides that of Blood, that your Illustrious Ancestors have conferred on you. Whom I beseech the Almighty to protect and preserve in all prosperity in this life, and in the life to come to give you an immortal Crown of Glory; And remain,  
Honoured Sir, Your most humble, most obedient, and obliged Servant, P.M.   

THE AUTHORS PREFACE TO THE READER.  
THIS small Treatise is not compiled with any Hopes to reduce wholly those, against whom I argue. For such persons are not recalled by Disputations, Discourses, or Humane Reasonings. That they may be healed and converted, God himself must speak, must scourge, and terrify them, with his revengeful Judgements. The sin of such Persons is like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, viz, Pride, Fullness of Bread, and Abundance of Idleness. (Ezech. xuj. 49.) They most especially are troubled with this Disease, who live in this World, according to their own desires, who abound with the Goods of this present World, who are overwhelmed with the Wealth, Honours, Sweets, and Pleasures of this Life: For the turning away of the Simple shall slay them, and the Prosperity of Fools shall destroy them; Prov. i. 32.  
Whilst they enjoy this Prosperity, and have their ease and quiet, they avert their thoughts from God; the Remembrance of whom would but make them sad, and would much trouble their Repose, since they cannot promise to themselves any good from him, who loveth Virtue, Justice, and Holiness, which in no ways is consistent with that kind of Life, which they have chosen, to pass it in Pleasure, Delicateness, and Effeminacy.  
Then do they stop their Ears, as the Serpent against the Charms of the Charmer, they leave off to be wise, and to do good; therefore they are not capable of receiving Instruction, and they would be very angry to acknowledge their Error; because, if so, they must be bound to amend their Lives, which is that they will not do, finding it wonderfully sweet and delicious. But when they are met with by Death, and that they be a grappling with her, when she doth overpower them, or when by some notorious, wonderful, and exemplary Judgement of God, they are fallen from their Greatness, Wealth, Goods, & Pleasures, and are reduced to the State of Job, or the Prodigal Son in the Gospel: then sometimes they may be healed, than their affrighted Conscience doth awake them from their deep slumber; then at sometimes they open their eyes to the acknowledgement, and detestation of their Error. Without this, they are like those, who, being sick of a Lethargy, may be pinched, spoken to, etc. yet never budge, nor will not awake; because they take more pleasure in their sleep, and drowsiness, which at last lays them in their Grave.  
This Treatise is rather intended to these ends: viz.  
First, To keep from this horrible Precipice those, that have some Natural bent and inclination that way. For the general, and Natural Corruption of man is to them an hidden Master, and Teacher of Atheism, which now and then suggests these thoughts into their hearts; Who hath told you that there is a God, whom you never saw? And, Where have they learned it, who taught you this? What greater assurance of this have they themselves? And, Whence did it proceed?  
Secondly, It is to uphold their Faith, in whom these thoughts have taken some Impression.  
Thirdly, To show the mistake of those, who think, that, setting aside the Revelation of the word of God, those persons (viz. The Atheists) are not void of Reason, and speak not without some warrant. For it is here showed, that they oppose Reason, and belly it in divers manners.  
Finally, This is to beat down, in some manner, the vainglory, and the profane mockings of those persons, who laugh at the simplicity (as they think) of the World, which is of so light a belief, (as they call it) as to give credit to those Writings, which are called the Bible, without any more warrant of their Belief, than the common Report, or an hear-say, or else the Testimony of some men, that take upon them the Authority to give to these Sacred Writings the Credit, which it hath amongst us, and yet cannot in any other ways show, upon what their Testimony is grounded; and thereby do weaken the Faith of those, who are taught to attribute more than mere Reason to the Testimony of these Books and Sacred Writers. For here it is showed against the Atheists, that they make themselves absurd and ridiculous in doubting, without any appearance of Reason, of the Authority of these Sacred Books.  
It is now three years ago, since this Treatise was dictated to some young Divines in this place, without any other Design, than their own satisfaction; and this was also done at their Request, and to be to them as a Basis and Foundation of their Faith and Religion. For it is that by which we must begin, That there is a God: which many do not know, but because they have heard other say so, without having pondered and examined upon what ground this Common belief is seated. But since that time, after this small piece had been viewed and approved by able Masters, to whose Judgement I (as it is my duty) do submit: I, by their persuasions, have thought that this, being made public, cannot do any harm to any, and may profit some. And this the rather; that I might evidence, that we ought to serve God to the utmost of our abilities, in maintaining his cause against his most furious Adversaries; and that those of our Coat, and Profession, are not such, as some would willingly make the world believe them to be, viz. Enemies of God, and of his Truth, since we do (as much as in us lies) establish the grounds of it: clean contrary to those of their Profession, who, feigning to lay this Foundation firm, do in effect overthrow it; setting it upon rotten Pillars, and by a secret intelligence with those enemies, against which they seem to fight, do betray, & abandon that Truth, whereof they would have men believe them to be the Assertors. If, by the reading of this small Treatise, (which cannot much divert the Readers from their other employments) any find themselves edified, and strengthened in the faith and belief of this so important Article, which is the Ground of Religion; I shall have attained my end, and will believe that my Meditation on this point hath not been vain. And to God, who directs by his Wisdom the thoughts of men to his own Glory, and for his own Work, be ascribed all Honour, Praise, and Glory, for ever. Amen.   

ATHEISM CONVICTED, AND PROFANENESS CONFUTED, By the Light of Right Reason and by the Testimony of GOD and MEN.  

CHAP. I. The reach of Atheism, its first spring, divers Branches of this Notorious Infidelity.  
IT is a strange and wonderful thing, that (seeing the Knowledge of divine and Celestial matters is far greater and clearer in most of men that are upon the face of the Earth then ever it was) we see nevertheless more Atheists and profane persons than ever were, even among the Heathen, which do appear by the stupendous wickedness, and abominable Corruption of good manners, which is at this day so common among Christians, being most true which the Apostle saith, That many do acknowledge God with their Lips, but by their works do deny him.  
The spring of this Evil, is the unlimited Love of the Wealth, Pleasures, Commodities, honours & dignities of this present World. For men being hurried by their Passions towards these things, and nevertheless having a natural Resentment of a Deity, and some Knowledge of the Difference between Good and Evil, Vice and Virtue, and of the Punishments and Rewards which they do justly deserve (which is to them as most bitter Gall, and Wormwood, and doth deprive them of the pleasure and content which they do take in glutting themselves with these false and deceiving Goods) do endeavour to quench in themselves this strong persuasion they have of a Deity, or at the least do frame false Opinions of him and of his Nature, that they may go on with more looseness, less Remorse, and more pleasure in the Execution of their evil desires, and to fortify themselves in this Opinion they do seek, and gather all the Reasons and Arguments, which the subtillnesse of their Wits and Parts can furnish them withal.  
Now there are two sorts of Atheists, the first are formally and openly so, The second are close and reserved. Again of these first, there are two kinds, The first of which acknowledge and profess that there is no God, and even do upon all occasions, endeavour to make others believe the same: the other sort is of those which persuade themselves that there is no God, and notwithstanding dare not vent that Opinion openly either for fear of the Justice of men which doth most justly chastise and punish this horrible Impiety, or for shame of the World which doth abhor and detest such Monsters as these.  
Now they, whose profaneness is not so open, do indeed acknowledge a Deity, but they have erroneous Opinions of it, which cannot consist with the Reality of its Nature. The God of such persons is nothing else but an Idol, a False God, and only a Phantasm of the Deity, now he that hath but this is not far from Atheism.  
Of all these Opinions some are more gross and less agreeing with the Nature of the Deity, the other are more subtle and harder to be apprehended, which nevertheless do oppugn its Nature, and cannot really agree with the true Deity.  
Of the former is the Tenet of Epicurus who did acknowledge a Deity, but such a one as had nothing to do with the World, and had neither made it, nor did govern it, and was without any care what was done in it. Next to this was the Opinion of the Peripatetics, who did hold that there was a first matter, but to whom they did attribute only the moving of the Primum mobile, and a general and undeterminated Action without any Cognizance or Government of particular things, who was neither the efficient cause of this world, which they did assert had been from all Eternity without any Beginning. The same also was the Opinion of the Heathen, who did believe a Plurality of Gods, either Independent one upon another, or generated and procreated the one by the other, to which also they attributed humane Passions and Affections, as Anger, Envy, Carnal Lusts, Joy, and Sorrow.  
The second sort of false Opinions, more cunning and subtle, is of those who cannot think that God is infinitely just, or infinitely merciful, but believe that he pardons Sin without punishing of it, and that he doth punish it only because it is his pleasure, seeing that he could abstain from the punishing of it if he would, and that he could (if he pleased) be unwilling to punish it. Which Opinion carries this with it, that Good and Evil are not so in their Nature, but only as it pleaseth God to command the one, and forbidden the other, and hence it follows that he could forbid the Good and command the Evil, and this doth transform God in the Principle of the ancient and abominable Heretic Manes, who because of the difference of Good and Evil, did constitute two Principles of them, the one good and the other evil; nay, these do worse than him, since they holding one Principle, make it susceptible of both, viz Good and Evil.  
Those also that will not acknowledge that God is such as he hath revealed, and made himself known in his word, viz. One in three distinct persons, and by his Eternal word Jesus Christ his Son, who was incarnate, and died for to save the world, such are those ancient Heretics who have resisted the most holy and most happy Trinity, and our Saviour's Incarnation, together with the Disciples and followers of Mahomet, who is by them preferred before Christ. For all such persons under a false pretence they have of maintaining the Unity of God, do annihilate him as much as in them lies, in crying down his Power and Eternal Wisdom, which are the Son and the Holy Ghost, and would have them to be only bare names, phantasms or mere creatures.  
There might be added many other opinions, Ancient and Modern, as namely that of old, of the Anthropomorphites that thought God to be corporeal, and that he was furnished with Arms, Legs, and Eyes like a man: From whom do not go very far those who erect Images of the Holy Trinity to adore and serve it. All such Opinions are entirely unworthy, and alienated from the Infinite Excellency of God, do beget in the Spirits of men a false apprehension, and a mere Phantasm of the Deity, and do avert men from the true Fear, Respect, Obedience, Piety, and Honour, which his Creatures are bound to pay him.  
There is also another Rise and Root of this Profaneness, and as it is more hid and subtle, so it is more general and common, viz. of those who do indeed acknowledge a Deity, and have no erroneous opinions of its Nature, but nevertheless would be very glad, and willingly could wish that there were no God, and that for the same end and reason, as those have, who endeavour to persuade themselves that there is none, to wit, that they may more licentiously follow their evil desires, and Concupiscences.  
And this Wickedness is so common, that there are none but the truly faithful, and those who are regenerated by the Spirit of God, that are wholly free from this, and also to these somt mes such thoughts come into their Hearts when they are tempted and enticed by their own Lusts, which is like a Spring of Gall spouting on high with which they are defiled, which they resist as much as they can by the efficacy of the Spirit of God.   

CHAP. II. Two Ways of Convincing Atheism, viz. by Arguments and Authority.  
I. Argument, Drawn from this, viz. That the World hath had a Beginning.  
THere are two ways of handling a subject, the first to prove positively that it is, and what it is, the second to confute that which may be brought against it. We purpose to ourselves here only to prove against Atheists, that there is a God, & not to answer to all the perverseness and subtlety of humane reason (ingenious & prone to its own Ruin) can bring to persuade itself the contrary, because that as there are common Truths so clear and evident that no Sophism or Paralogism can make us to swerve from it, though (it may be) we cannot dissolve and untie the Knot of the Sophism; so this truth, that there is a God, being well and solidly proved and demonstrated, there will be no Argument (though never so artificial) that shall make us to decline it, albeit we could not clearly see which way we might disentangle ourselves and come out from these Labyrinths. Unless we perchance were of the number of those (of whom we have heretofore spoken) who should be very willing that there were no God: For we gladly believe, and easily persuade ourselves, that which we desire; we ourselves give weight and strength to those Arguments which do enforce it upon us, and contrarily weaken, as much as in us lies, those that oppose them. Hence cometh to pass, that this day so many give ear to Atheistical Doctors, and are easily persuaded to credit their abominable discourses, which is prejudicial to themselves, and an Argument of the weakness of their cause, for it is no wonder easily to believe that which is vehemently desired.  
Now there are two ways of proving a thing. The first by Reason, The second, by Testimony and Authority. The last is more curt and easy, but sometimes more doubtful and less certain, and that it may be made valid, and firm, it must be demonstrated, that he who gives this Testimony first, knows and understands well what he saith. Secondly, That he is true and faithful, and that he is neither able or willing to lie and deceive, and that there is no reason to suspect him of ignorance and malice, and in this case the proof is certain and evident. And of this kind of Testimony we shall say something towards the end of this Discourse.  
The Deity may be proved by many Reasons of which we shall select some of the most common, upon which we nevertheless will not more enlarge, than it shall suffice to show the force and validity of them.  
Among all those Reasons that prove a Deity, this may be the first. To wit, That this World necessarily hath had a Beginning, and consequently a Maker, (which hath produced it, and hath given it its Being) which cannot be supposed to have been any other but God.  
There are two Ways of proving a thing by Reason. First is, That which Philosophers call a Priori, in coming down from the Cause to the Effects, and demonstrating the Effects by the Causes. The second a Posteriori, ascending from the Effects to the Cause, and proving the Cause by the Effects. This first kind of Demonstration cannot be here admitted, for there is nothing above or before God by which its Being may be demonstrated, it cannot therefore be proved but by his Effects only. And here we may take notice of Epicurus his mistake, who did acknowledge a Deity but which was neither the Cause of this Universe, nor did any wise Govern it. For from whence could he know or acknowledge a Deity, but from the Consideration of this World as its Effect? Such an Opinion as this he could not get by Revelation, seeing that according to his Tenent, it did not take notice or meddle with men's affairs, and besides that he would not admit any such Revelations. From whence it is clear, that it hath only been an Artifice of this Philosopher to shun the hatred and detestation of men which he had incurred if he had wholly and openly denied the Deity.  
The Deity therefore can neither be known nor proved, but by the due Consideration of its effects, from which divers Reasons may be drawn, and from this first way, the Deity may be thus inferred.  
Nothing can produce its own self, for if it was so, than that thing should be afore it was, which is absurd, and implies a Contradiction: It necessarily then follows, that either the World hath been from Eternity without any Beginning, or else that it hath had a Beginning: For there is no Medium betwixt these Terms, It hath not been, nor could be from Everlasting, and without a Beginning; which might be proved by Divers Arguments, but we will content ourselves with two or three. The first of which is, That if the world were Eternal, there should be not only one Number but many, yea almost infinite Numbers really, and actually infinite, which cannot be, and is manifestly Repugnant to Reason; For there, is not, or can be conceived any number, let it be never so great, but that there may be added to it, not only an Unite, but any other Number whatsoever, let this Number be imagined to be so great as it can.  
And that which is yet more unconceivable, goes beyond all Absurdities, and implies a manifest Contradiction is, that there should be many Numbers really, and actually infinite, which should be lesser or greater than some others that are supposed to be infinite, which is absurd. To the infinite nothing can be added; all infinite things consequently aught to be equal. Now if this World is Eternal, the Heavens have turned from all Eternity, and if they have always turned without any Beginning of this Circumvolution; there hath hitherto been a Number actually infinite of their Revolutions, because ascending from this day's Revolution, we shall never find an end of these Revolutions, since they are supposed to have had no Beginning: So in this Eternity there hath been an infinite number of years (since there hath been an infinite Number of these Revolutions) each of which doth make a year now, so it is that there are more Months than years, more days than Months, more hours than days, and more minutes than hours, so that (as I have said) there hath been in this Eternity divers Numbers, each of which is actually infinite, and nevertheless some are greater than others. Likewise upon this supposition there hath been an infinite number of Trees and plants succeeding the one to the other by that perpetual vicissitude which is perceived in Nature. Now in a Tree there are many greater Branches upon one stock, many lesser Branches upon greater Branches, and finally more Leaves than Branches: And consequently the number of Trees, Branches, and Leaves, will be actually infinite, and nevertheless the number of Leaves shall be greater than that of the Branches, and the number of Branches greater than that of the stocks. The same may be said of men and of all other bodies which consist of many parts, for in a man there are more fingers than arms, more hairs than heads, etc.  
Moreover in this supposed Eternity, there hath been an infinite number of days, and an infinite number of nights, now the day precedes the night, or the night the day in respect of each Hemisphere, which we take it matters not, for it will always follow that in this Eternity, there hath been a number actually infinite either of nights or of days, which shall be lesser or greater than another infinite number by an Unit, for necessarily in either of the Hemispheres there are more days than nights by one, and more nights than days by one.  
Moreover the Generation of men, and the manner of it, as we do apprehend it, contradicts the Eternity of the World. And that first, because if the World is eternal, an infinite number of men have been before these that live this day upon the face of the Earth; and an infinite number also of those who lived a thousand years ago, and infinite those who are supposed to have lived ten thousand years ago, and so consequently to the infinite; so that there are infinite numbers that are infinite, which nevertheless are less than some others also infinite. For to the infinite number of those who have preceded ten thousand years ago, we must of necessity add those who have been since these ten thousand years.  
Secondly, in the generation of men this is a general note, that men who this day are living (taken not each one apart but every one together) have more Fathers than Grandfathers, more Grandfathers than great-grand-fathers', for each man hath his own Father, but many men have the same Grandfather, and the same Grandfather hath many more Children of his Children then the Father; so that going upwards we shall see the number of Praedecessors to diminish, from whence it is necessarily concluded, that at last we must come to a first Father, who had no Ancestors, but is the Origin and spring of all the rest. Which Foundation being laid, it must necessarily follow, that there was an infinite time in which there was no Generation of men; or that the World hath existed for an infinite time without any men before the production of this first, now neither can be asserted or maintained with the least appearance of Reason. For how should this man have thought of generating after he had existed from Eternity without Generating? The same question cannot be moved against us of God, why, and how he should have thought of creating the World after that he had existed for an infinite number of Ages without creating: for the Eternity of God is not a successive time, as the pretended Eternity of the World is, where necessarily some moments follow the others, since God's Eternity is always indivisible, and where there is neither A prius or posterius, first or second.  
Moreover, The History of things past is repugnant to this pretended Eternity of the World, for if it had existed from the very Depth of Eternity, so that there have been always men upon the Earth, whence doth it come to pass, that ascending to, and looking over things past, we cannot find any Monument or Remembrance of things done above five or six thousand years ago? Experience teacheth us, that the longer a man lives, the more doth he take notice of the Events that befall in his life time: By so much the more as Commonalties and Corporations do last, by so much do they polish and refine themselves, and do also leave more Monuments of their Actions. If therefore the World and its Inhabitants were only but from fifty thousand years ago, we should have at this day some Monuments of their Histories very clear and distinct, at least from above ten thousand years since (especially) that the World being existent; according to our Hypothesis of five thousand years, and a little above, we only have Monuments of Histories that are evident but from two thousand years.  
That which can be excepted against the forementioned Argument is, that there have been Deluges, and Universal Inundations, that have abolished all the preceding Monuments, and all men that then were existent, besides one or two, or such a small number to Replenish the Earth. But that they may solve the forenamed Argument, they must assert that there have been infinite Inundations of the like Nature (otherwise we shall always ascend to a man that was in the Beginning, the spring and Rise of all the rest, who existed from Eternity without generating) which Hypothesis is liable to many inconveniences, and may be evinced with many strong Arguments. Besides that those give themselves a great deal of Liberty, who will conclude an infinite number of Inundations from that which (as we do all agree) did once come to pass.  
Moreover if we grant Inundations of the same Nature, we must also acknowledge a Deity, which must govern and guide them, otherwise how can it come to pass that from each one of these deluges, there should be some men preserved to people the Earth again, for if they did happen by chance only, we cannot imagine but that some of them, yea the most part of them should have wholly abolished and Razed from the face of the Earth, all men and beasts without any exception, since it is granted by the History of this of which we do agree, that men and beasts have been preserved by a singular, and admirable Providence of the Deity, without which, man could not have escaped it without a great deal of danger; much less preserve with himself all parts of Beafts. For to assert with Ovid in his Metamorphosis drawn from other Pagan Fables, That beafts have form themselves out of the mud after this Inundation, is not to speak like a Philosopher, or a Rational man: Such as those would appear to be who do oppugn a Deity. Add to this, that if the like Inundations had frequently happened, there should without doubt have remained some Memory of them. And the first that should have escaped it, would have transferred the Monument of it to their issue, and these to them that should have succeeded them, and so from hand to hand we should have Records of many like Inundations which is very false.  
Finally, This Argument which the Atheists do assume, drawn from the Eternity of the World may be retorted against them, for if a thing Corporeal, Finite, Material, so gross, and so imperfect as this World is, can nevertheless have been, and subsisted from all Eternity, as now it is existent; how much more is it according to right Reason to constitute a spiritual, immaterial, infinite, and eternal Essence, subsisting of itself which is nothing else but the Deity? For by how much the more things are immaterial and spiritual, by so much the greater activity have they, and consequently are more able to subsist and last longer, as is seen in Souls, Angels, and Spirits.  
Moreover we see that this World is corruptible almost in all its parts, which are in perpetual vicissitudes & changes of being and not being, which doth argue that it draweth towards its end, and that finally it will be dissolved, for the whole participates of the Nature of its parts, and cannot be contrary to them, now how can that have been from all Eternity, and without any Beginning, that draweth to an end, and that at last will come to it? For if hitherto it hath endured infinitely, it may do the same for the future, if it cannot last for the future, it is clearly evident that it cannot have been from all Eternity. If then the World hath neither been, nor can be supposed to have existed from all Eternity, it hath necessarily had a Beginning, and since nothing can produce itself, we must conclude, That it hath been produced by some one that hath had no Beginning, but hath been from all Eternity, who is no other but God himself; otherwise we must affirm that this Architect of the world hath been produced by some other, and this also by another, and so to the infinite, which is grossly absurd.  
Those do not much more further the Atheists cause, who from all Eternity do constitute a confused Chaos, and a first matter of this World from which it hath been extracted. For first, It is a thing beyond imagination that that which is only a mere Power without any form, such as the first matter is supposed to be, hath, or can have of itself so much strength as to have subsisted from Eternity, or that a consused and indigested matter, such as the Chaos is imagined to be, could have existed infinitely in an equal Consusion. Besides, those that are of this Opinion, as Plato, etc. have been forced to acknowledge a Workman and Architect supremely wise and industrious, viz. The deity which hath extracted this order, which we now see out of the Confusion of this Chaos, and hath reduced that Power of the first Matter into Act, who hath form so wonderful a Workmanship out of so confused a Matter, which had it not been for such an infinite power as this is, it might have for ever remained in its Disorder and Confusion: for why should it have been otherwise, and why should have Order sprung out of Disorder in such or such a moment, rather than at any other time, unless it were by the means of a superior power, and a free Agent who hath composed it according to his Will? As of a massy Clay, no vessel can be form without the industrious and artificial hand of the Potter.  
For as to this new and admirable Philosopher, greater Mathematician than Naturalist, who will renovate the Doctrine of Democritus' Atoms (moving themselves not in a Vacuum and infinite space, but in us I know not what Quintessence hitherto ignored, which runs and passes between them as small leaves and straws, through the Thorns of a thick Hedge) who requires that there may be assigned him a certain matter, and he will demonstrate, that out of it may come forth, and form itself such a World as this is. When he hath put forth his demonstrations upon that Point, it will be seen whether this his Promise is as well grounded as that of his Master Archimedes, who desired that there might be assigned him a fixed and  point, and he would remove the Earth and all the World out of its place, and transport it into another.   

CHAP. III. The second Argument against Athiesme, Drawn from the Order and Disposition of this World.  
IT is a Difference, seen and noted by all, between Casual things, and those which proceed from Prudence and Reason, that in those things which are Fortuitous, and Casual, neither Order, nor Disposition is perceived: but only a confused mixture of things; in the other is deprehended, Order, and Right disposition, and a certain Symmetry and composition, from which doth proceed an Agreeable, and Gracious Beauty; and the more the Workman is industrious, able, and expert, the more is seen in his Works, Order, and due Disposition; as for example, other are the Magnificent buildings of great Kings, and the small Cottages seen in Country Villages, or those pastimes of Children, who presume to build Castles and Houses, of small pieces of brick, and chips of wood.  
In the Composure and Edifice of this great Universe, and of the liltle World, Man; one must needs be very blind, who doth not perceive in it an Order, a Disposition, and Composition of Proportions, and Symmetry, in all its parts, which is exceeding admirable, and hath ravished out of themselves those among the very Heathens, who have narrowly considered it, and hath forced them to acknowledge a Deity, from which this Order is proceeded.  
Such an Order and Disposition, and these so wonderful Proportions can neither be an effect, or Production of a blind and fortuitous fate: but, we must in this acknowledge a Wisdom, Prudence, and Industry, above any man's reach of apprehension, that hath so wisely ordered these things. For any Man to say, that they have always continued so, without any beginning, and that therefore they have no Creator, is that which we have Confuted in the preceding Chapter, and moreover, it is that which can neither be comprehended, nor imagined; that so admirable an Order should not proceed from any cause, and were not the product of Superior Wisdom. Now, what can be this Wisdom, but the Deity itself? for any man to refer this to a Virtue Physical, Irrational, & sui nescia, diffused, and scattered through this great Mass of the World, as those Philosophers, which, in another sense, did imagine, that there was a soul of the World, almost like that Power we see seeds to have, in producing Plants, Trees, and Animals, is an error, want of right reasoning, & Petitio Principii, for that virtue we deprehend in seeds, could not produce effects so wonderful in the composition and Symmetry of all parts of bodies which spring from thence, unless it was directed by a Superior cause, most wise, and full of admirable industry. Since a thing that is irrational, and inanimate, cannot be a fit subject of so marvellous a Wisdom, and so admirable an industry.  
Again, this imaginary soul of the World, so diffused through this vast body, must constitute an Animal (as man, who is composed of body and soul) or not. If it doth not make an Animal, it doth not inform this great and Massy body; but hath its Subsistency by itself, if it subsists by itself; here is by their own Concession, and Confession, a thing in material, Incorporeal, that is infinitely wise, and infinitely Powerful, since it produceth so so many, and so wonderful effects; and what is that but the Deity of which is our dispute? for, this soul which is so wise, and mighty, must of necessity have been from all Eternity; and must have made and ordered this World as it's efficient cause, and yet it must be separated from it, since it is not the form that doth animate it, as the soul doth the body of Man. Now, what needs rather to assert that there is such an efficient cause, all wise, and all mighty, which hath from all Eternity, made and composed this World, and so to cast one's self upon the manifold, and unavoidable absurdities, that do necessarily follow the assertion of the Eternity of the World, then with us, and the truth, to constitute such a cause as hath made this World, since only a certain space of time, and by that to disentangle one's self from those Labyrinths and inevitable absurdities.  
If they say, that this supposed soul of the World doth inform its matter, and doth constitute a natural composure, such as the soul, and body doth constitute a Man, than this world must needs be a great, vast, and Monstrous Animal, which is composed of parts that are not organical (as the limbs, and parts of a humane body are) and must have some correspondency and proportion with the form, and the soul which animates them, which is a frantic, and wild imagination; unworthy, not only of Philosophers (such as these would be thought to be) but even of men, of mean and low capacities; but moreover, this only follows, that according to this supposition, and concession of the Atheists, we have here a great, and almost infinite Animal, Eternal, Almighty, and all wise, from which all things that are seen are produced, as so many effects of its wisdom and Power. Now, how near comes such an imagination to that which we say is the Deity? but that it is much more consonant to reason, and to that Dignity and Majesty of this wisdom, and Power to place it (as we do) by itself, and separated from the matter, immense, infinite, subsisting of itself, and by itself, then with them to affirm, that it informs so vile and gross a matter, as this of the world is, and to shut it up within the precincts of this world, without being, or subsisting out of it. For, this is to make it finite, and Limited, in respect of its extension; now, if in this respect it is finite, and limited, why then not also in respect of its duration? So, that according to the Tenet of those persons, we must at last come again to this, that this world hath made itself, or rather is risen out of nothing, without the help of any cause, and that in a certain time, which is a very wild, and absurd imagination. And if this wisdom and Power is infinite, in respect of its duration, being eternal (as they say it is) why shall it not also be infinite in respect of its extension? and if they say it is infinite as to its extension, it exists, and subsists without this world, and out of it, which necessarily we must affirm to be finite, seeing there is no body (no more than number) actually infinite. So are they compelled to avouch a Wisdom, and Power immaterial, infinite in all its acceptions, as well in respect of its extension, as of its duration, subsisting of itself, and from all Eternity, and separated from all matter, which is nothing else but that which every one means by a Deity. And here we may take notice of the impertinency and absurdity of the opinion of Democritus, and of Epicurus after him, that would have had this world to have been framed by a fortuitous concourse of Atoms, moving themselves casually, in an infinite Vacuum, and in an infite space of time also; for, besides the absurdity, there is, in imagining to one's self, small indivisible bodies, which, nevertheless have little hooks, by which they catch one another, and so concur together in the producing of any thing, as those people did fancy, and besides that, it is unimaginable, that in so minute, bodies, such as those are, there should be found various, and infinite qualities, which we deprehend in the bodies composed of them; or, if they be without any quality, that out of their concourse there should spring forth so many, and so various qualities; there is yet this very palpable absurdity, which is, that out of so fortuitous and casual concourse, which is not directed by any Superior intellect, there should be produced a work so admirable, as the world is, all the parts of which are conformed with such a Harmony and Symmetry, that it confounds the thoughts of those who do sedulously consider it, and so constant a duration of this order in the perpetual succession of bodies, which we see are form by nature, and again, that if by this fortuitous concourse, the world hath been so made by the same motion of those Atoms, it may likewise be dissolved, and so we must imagine in an Eternity, an infinite number of worlds made, and again dissolved, successively, one after another, by the motion, and fortuitous concourse of Atoms, and by this is destroyed the pretended Eternity of this world: for the defending of which, the Atheists do so much trouble themselves.   

CHAP. FOUR A third Argument, Drawn from the Difference, which is between Vice and Virtue.  
AS in the works of Nature, there is that Symmetry, and wonderful disposition; so well managed, so constant and regular, (of which hath been spoken in the precedent chapter) that it doth clearly evidence to us, an admirable and infinite wisdom, which is the Author of it; so also in humane things, even in the actions of men, and in the products and emergencies of their intellects and wills, we may plainly see an Order and Symmetry, so wonderful, that it cannot be conceived to be a product of fate, from which nothing but confusion doth proceed.  
This Principally doth appear in the wisdom and subtlety of a man's Spirit, and in the effects of these faculties of his Soul, or in the rectitude of his actions, flowing from the practical part of his soul, which is called Moral virtue, both of which do point at something of Divine in Man, and which cannot have its birth from a fortuitous and blinder cause, that is supposed to act without Knowledge, and from this also is drawn another Argument against Atheism, of which we will treat in its place.  
To this Virtue and Moral good, Evil, Sin, and Vices are opposed, which opposition doth not wholly depend on man's Free Will, (for things of this Nature easily do change and vary) but this difference of Good and Evil, Vice and Virtue is fixed and altogether immutable, and is so deeply tooted in the heart of man, who doth naturally know it, that all the men in the World cannot alter it, and it will be known by them even in despite of themselves; for the most barbarous and desperate, although they be Virtues grand Adversaries, cannot but often admire its Excellency, and highly value it where she is found, and although they many times know not the Vice, which resides in their hearts, and the evil Actions which they (blinded by their Passions) do commit, yet they will with facility deprehend it in others, and detest and condemn it, if especially it turns against their interest, and to their prejudice: And as all acknowledge the Beauty and Excellency of Virtue, and the deformity of its contrary, Vice; so all agree in this, that the former calls for the Love, Praise, and Commendation of men: Contrarily, that the latter is worthy of the bitterest hatred, and of all men's detestations, and aught to draw after itself severe punishments, as its due, from thence we draw another Argument against Atheism.  
This difference of Good and Evil is not a mere Fancy and Opinion, but Essentially real as in natural things, Black and White, Light, and Darkness; Neither doth it proceed from any custom, that by degrees hath gained upon men's minds, for that which comes by custom doth grow by little and little, and is weaker in the bud then afterwards, may be altered easily, and insensibly turns to nothing, which is not seen in the difference of Good and Evil, which hath always been deeply rooted in all men's Hearts at all times, and more strong persuasions were there of it in the Beginning then now in this age, where the Corruption of men is stronger than ever.  
And this cannot be abolished by any contrary Custom, for it always remains the same in itself. The Laws of Magistrates, or the Moral Precepts of Philosophers, have not given to Virtue its Being, they have only apprehended it in the Actions, and Deportments of men, and according to their apprehensions they have framed their Precepts and Laws to rule the lives of men, and to hinder them from Vice its contrary. As we may say of Aristotle, That he hath not merely invented out of his own Brain the Rules and Precepts of Argumentation, but only hath framed them upon the Remarks which he hath made of all men's Discourses and Arguments. And upon these Remarkes, hath compiled his Organon, where the Rules of Argumentation are laid, which are neither mutable or arbitrary, but certain and unchangeable, effected upon the right and Natural Reason common to all men.  
This Virtue hath its Rise and Foundation in Man's Nature, as he is Rational, and endowed with that Will and Understanding which ought to have the Supremacy over the Affections, and to hold them in their Right Compass, and this doth consist in the Symmetry, and proportion which is in the Rational Souls Faculties, from this doth spring forth the Beauty and Excellency of virtue, which doth compel the most barbarous to admire it; as in Bodies & Works, either artificial or natural, their Beauty proceeds from the due Position of all their parts, for the one is no more Arbitrary or Imaginary than the other, but both are True and Real, that of Virtue being so much the more glorious, as the spiritual exceed the Corporeal in worth and dignity.  
This Virtue as we have described it, cannot proceed from a blind fate, or fortuitous cause which can produce nothing well regulated, but aught to have a most certain, constant, and invariable Cause, which hath in itself all manner of virtues in the highest Degree, which is the most perfect pattern, and the exactest model of all humane Virtues, and which is the Author and efficient cause of it in man, seeing it cannot come from any other principle, which (if it were supposed) would be much lesser than its Effect, for there is nothing in all that man can imagine in Nature, more divine and excellent than Virtue, by which man is not only infinitely more excellent than beasts, but is in some manner deified, and in some respects surpasses himself. And here we need not to constitute two Principles, with the Manichees, the one of all good, the other of all evil, one only being sufficient: for, as the straight line is the rule of itself, and of the obliqne, so this pattern and Model of all Virtue and perfection, which is the Deity, is the rule of all human virtues, and by it is known its contrary, viz. Vice, which of itself hath no more need of a Principle, or efficient cause; then darkness which only proceeds from the privation and absence of light. The Spirit of Man being so wavering, and unconstant, cannot be so good a rule of this most excellent and glorious virtue, as it is of itself.  
Again, that knowledge of the difference of good and evil, which all men have so deeply and naturally imprinted in their souls, doth not simply proceed from any Tradition, or Institution, there being several barbarous Nations, who, having no such Institutions, nevertheless acknowledge, and admire virtue, and highly detest vice: many also who want those Traditions, or, may be, are taught the contrary to this Truth, do often (notwithstanding their bad education) acknowledge the difference between vice and virtue. Now, from whence can proceed so strong, lively, and constant impression in the soul of man, but from some Superior cause, which hath engraved this in the Creation of it. Which cause can be none else but the Deity, there being none but it above man to effect this.   

CHAP. V The fourth Argument, Drawn from the disorder which is seen in Man, which Disorder, of necessity hath a beginning and an ending.  
WE have in the preceding Chapters drawn two Arguments against Atheism, the one from the order of Nature, and the other from Man. We will now draw one from the disorder which is in both. Virtue is indeed proper to Man, as he is rational, and by it he chief differs from brutes, which are not capable of it; but, yet it is not natural, or essential to him (for then man should never sin) but accidental, from which he hath departed himself; witness the great corruption of manners which we see in the World, which of necessity hath had some beginning, and cannot have existed from everlasting, for disorder is a perturbation of order, and a confusion introducted since in men's natures; and that disorder and confusion cannot possibly be Eternal, is evidenced from this, that to be without a beginning, is one of the greatest perfections that can be imagined. And truly, experience teacheth, that the more we go on forward, we see corruption to be greater and greater, and wonderfully to increase; for, corruption and all evil, is at this day much rifer than it was a hundred years ago, and was greater a hundred years ago, than it was one hundred years before, which a Heathen hath very well noted about sixteen hundred years ago, in these Verses.  
Aetes' parentum pejor Avis, tulit  
Nos nequiores, mox daturos  
Progeniem vitiosiorem.  
And so going upwards, corruption will be found sensibly to diminish, until we come unto a first beginning. If then Vice hath had its first rise in Man, man cannot be from everlasting; and this World of necessity hath had a beginning, from this, viz. (that the World was Created) we have heretofore proved a Deity that Created it; for the beginning of this corruption cannot be so far stretched upwards, but that an infinite space of time preceded necessarily the beginning of this corruption. Now, if man could for an infinite space of time remain uncorrupted, why could not he continue so still? Add to it, that if Vice and Corruption hath begun, after an infinite time of uprightness, it may justly be asked, whether it hath begun in one man only, or in all men at once. Which of these two questions be asserted, it matters not, in the assertion of either, there is a very gross absurdity. For, if they say that it began in one man only, we may ask again, why it begun in one rather then in another? and if one was the first Author of Vice, why the rest did not suddenly dispatch him, for fear that he might infect, and spoil the rest; as at this day we see Magistrates putting the wicked to death, that they may not by their ill example, draw the rest to their exorbitancies. And if all have at once, it is a thing beyond imagination, how it could be so after infinite time of their persevering in Virtue and uprightness, chiefly if there is no other Governor of this Universe, than the fatal order of Nature, as the Atheists say, which; doubtlessly should always have remained the same, as it was before in an infinite space of time, and there cannot be given, or imagined, any reason of so sudden, and universal a change. The same cannot be objected to us, who hold, that the World and Man have had a beginning; who, though he was Created by God pure, and without Vice, was not therefore immutable (there being nothing immutable, to speak properly, but that which is Eternal) and therefore he being naturally mutable, it is no wonder, if some time after he hath suffered some change and alteration.  
We have said that Corruption grows more and more, but, yet it cannot grow to the infinite: both because evil being a defect, and imperfection; it cannot be infinite, because to be infinite doth denote perfection; and also for that, if evil should grow to be infinite, the Society of men could not subsist, but should be at last wholly abolished, and the humane kind annihilated by this evil, all men at last coming to kill and destroy one another, which again is against the pretended Eternity of the World, and opinion of the Atheists, who say, that as this world hath no beginning, so it ought to endure for ever. And the World being made for Man, and all things in it ministering to him; if humane kind should come wholly to perish, as we have showed it would come to pass, if evil grew infinitely, the root of the World would of necessity totally perish, being deprived of its Principal end, which is the service and good of man. It is easy for those that consider diligently the works of Nature, to see in them a wonderful order, and a firm constancy, but it is also easy to deprehend in them besides, and against this order a manifest disorder, and as it were an extravagancy, or exorbitancy of nature, for, if there is in Nature a regulated and constant vicissitude of the seasons of the year, following one another, the Spring after the Winter, and Summer after the Spring; there is in it also a manifest alteration of these seasons, as excessive cold in Summer, extraordinary heat in Winter, one season intrenches upon another; a Winter we many times see in the spring, and a Summer-in Autumn. If rain and snow, ice and mists, and dews, have their regulated times for the production of the fruits of the Earth, and to furnish Man and all Animals with food, yet also, often we see them confused, and altered, hence proceed droughts, and extraordinary moisture, which spoil the fruits of the Earth, and bring famine, and want of all things along with them; hence also proceeds the corruption of the air, from which proceeds plagues, and divers kinds of epidemical diseases, hence proceed thunders and tempests, earthquakes, and stupendous inundations, and a thousand other disorders which are daily seen in nature.  
Now its necessary that such disorders should have their bounds and limits, otherwise what should hinder disorder from growing to the infinite, and all things from returning to their first Chaos, for to say, that these disorders have their natural causes from which they proceed, that is very true, but it doth not solve the question, and doubt; for, if there is not some Superior Power, and wisdom above nature, that doth rule and direct all these disorders and exorbitances of Nature, it will inevitably follow, that Nature will be turned upside down, and wholly confounded, and indeed, it is not difficult to perceive, that these disorders are regulated and governed by an immense wisdom, and directed by an evident justice, and manifest goodness, in token of vengeance against the sins of the one, and of bounty for the reward and recompense of others, and to refer the administration of these things to a fate, and blind fortune, is to deceive one's self wilfully, and to put out ones eyes on purpose to see nothing.  
For example, what reason is there to refer to a blind fate, the deluge of Noah, the subversion of Sodom and Gomorrah, the seven year's famine of Egypt, its manifold plagues, the pestilences in King David's days, the drought in Elias times, and a thousand like, that happen, and may every day be seen in the World? This disorder then, so regulated, as well as the firm and constant order of nature, is an Argument of a Deity most wise and Powerful, and Superior to it, which hath established this order in it, and which doth manage and contain these disorders in their certain bounds, and doth direct them wisely, justly, and mercifully, for the punishment of the one, and the blessing of the other.   

CHAP. VI The fifth Argument drawn from a Providence that over-ruleth all humane things.  
WE have in the two last preceding Chapters, proved a Deity from the order and disorder, which is remarked in the nature of this great World, the same may be done from the order and disorder which is seen in the little world, man, whom we do not now consider as a Physical, or natural body, but as he is a moral creature, and endued with reason, in which respect we may see in him order, and disorder, but yet altogether most wisely regulated, and from these both is drawn another Argument to prove the Deity.  
And here first we must consider, that although all men be of the same nature, we see nevertheless in them a wonderful, and almost infinite variety, not only of faces and proportions of bodies, but also, and principally, of manners, of opinions, of manner of living, and of languages, and also a distinction by families, bodies, politic Comonalties, States, Republics, Kingdoms, Empires and Monarchies, all which distinctions and varieties are not seen in other animals of the same kind. This so wonderful variety and distinction can proceed but from an infinite Wisdom, which is above it, which hath been the cause of all these diversities, in so admirable an uniformity of Nature; chief, seeing that in these varieties there is a singular Symmetry, and disposition of all things so various.  
For to fly for the solution of this to a fate and fortune, which hath by mere chance happened upon this order, it is a wilful blindness, for order and disposition cannot proceed from that which hath none, and which, to say truth, is nought but a Chimaera, and which hath no virtue, or efficacy, by which it may act, or produce any thing.  
And above all, we are in all these varieties to consider that of speech, which is so great in persons who have all the same use of reason, which demonstrateth itself by words, and all the same organs of the voice, from whence according to reason, should proceed the same Language, the witness of all our conceptions, as we see in other Animals, that all those that are of the same kind have the same voice, by which they express their passions, and the motions of their affection.  
For to refer this to the free will of men, who would have it so, and have of themselves framed so many and so various idioms, there is no probability, for what reasonable end could they propose to themselves in such a design, especially since this diversity of Languages doth greatly hinder the mutual commerce and communication of one with another, by which the Society of all humane kind, (to which nature its self hath framed us, and powerfully inclines us) is wonderfully interrupted and hindered, so that there is no reason, or likelihood, that men would consent of themselves to a diversity so prejudicial to them, and contrary to the end towards which they all naturally tend, which is a mutual Society and Communication.  
Moreover, this diversity either hath been in an infinite space of time, if the World hath had no beginning, or else this said variety hath had some beginning; there is no reason to say that it hath had no beginning, yet being repugnant to the uniformity of Nature, which is in all men; to say also, that it hath had some beginning, there is no reason. For, why should men (after an infinite space of time, in which they are supposed to have all spoken one and the same Language) have changed in an instant their idiom, without any reason, or necessity, and against the end to which they all naturally do tend.  
It is then necessary to acknowledge here a Power, and Superior Wisdom, that, for certain reasons, best known to itself, beyond, and against the intention of men, hath brought to pass this admirable variety of idioms, each one of which hath its elegancies proper and peculiar to its self, and which men could not have foreseen, or conceived in their minds, this very thing surpassing far all that ordinary wisdom which is seen in men, the wisest of which cannot with all his wit and industry frame a Language, in which there may be found so much elegancy, and grace, as there is in either of those that are now in use in the World, which manifestly evinces; that a Wisdom, more than humane, and truly divine, hath so wisely distributed in each of these Idioms all the words that make it up, with all the flourishes and elegancies which we see in them.  
The distinction of men in Bodies, Commonalties, States, Republics, Kingdoms, Empires, and Monarchies, doth necessarily bring us to the acknowledgement of this Providence and Deity, and likewise shows the World not to be Eternal.  
It is a thing that Nature teacheth, viz. that Fathers ought to command, govern, and have the care of their children, and Grandfathers of their grandchildren, and so confequently, that Ancestors have, and take the care of their Progeny, and if this order was unchangeable, and duly kept among men, that might in some manner be referred to the regulated dispensations of Nature, and there would be in it nothing strange, or extraordinary, but it is quite otherwise in the Government which is among men; for, those that Command, and are at the Helm of a State, are not always (nay, almost never,) the Grandfathers, or Ancestors of them over whom they Rule, and are for the most part in no ways allied by blood to them, therefore in this we must acknowledge that there is something else besides the right of Nature, which hath given them this Power and Authority of Ruling, which also must be very extraordinary, otherwise they could not be so obeyed by those who Naturally (as not being descended from them) are in no wise their subjects. We may not enervate the strength of this Argument, by saying, that a voluntary, and merely arbitrary servitude, without any reason at all, hath by chance so subjected men one to the other; but we must in this acknowledge, that a supreme and most divine Wisdom, hath enriched some men above others with gifts and faculties fit for Government, which have made them to be admired and respected by those who have subjected themselves to them. And in truth, Experience, and the Monuments of History teach us, That the first Founder of Kingdoms, Empires, and Monarchies were men noted for the Heroic and extraordinary Virtues they had more than the rest, by which they have gained to themselves the admiration, Respect, and Obedience of those that in this were their inferiors.  
So it is said of Nimrod, that first erected the ancientest Monarchy in the World, That he was a great and mighty Hunter before the Lord, that is, That he was indeed more illustrius and glorious than the rest, being endowed with many rare qualifications for Government, and in which he did surpass the rest. So was Cyrus the Author of the Persians Monarchy, so was Alexander the Great, That erected that of the Grecians, and so were Caesar and Augustus which built the Romans Empire, and likewise the Scripture takes notice of all those that undertook the Rule of the Children of Israel, that God did raise the spirit of such and such a one.  
And of Saul himself their first King, that God did change his Heart into that of another man's, to let us know that these men have been endowed with most excellent, Heroical, and extraordinary Virtues above the rest, that so they might command them, and that a Deity hath had the management of all this, and hath directed and excited them. And so by Analogy it is of all others, that have at first undertaken to rule any other Nation, People, or Commonwealth. Moreover there being in the World so many divers Corporations, and so variously Ruled and Governed, yet justly and with a great Order, there shines in this variety and multiplicity of Governments, the lustre of a wonderful Wisdom which cannot proceed from the Prudence and Wisdom of any particular person that governs them, for this Power can extend itself no further then on their own Subjects, and therefore necessarily comes from some superior wisdom which is above all these Corporations and Commonweals, and which hath so wisely directed and ordered them. This same Power or Deity is also necessary to give to every one of those Corporations their regulated and certain limits, and duration in the constitution and determination of which this self same wisdom doth appear.  
So we read that Moses in the 32. Chapter of Deut. and the 8th, verse, doth attribute to God the several habitations of all Nations upon the face of the Earth: When God divided to the Nations their Inheritance, when he separated the Sons of Adam, he set the Bounds of the people according to the number of the Children of Israel.  
Moreover, Such a diversity of States, Kingdoms and Mooarchies cannot have existed from everlasting, and without a Beginning, for the same reasons by which we have in the beginning opposed, and laid down the Eternity of the world, & if they have had some Beginning, so the men that are Governors of them have had a Beginning also, and so consequently the world which is made altogether for man, and if the world hath had a Beginning, there is a Creatorof it, viz. The Deity.  
The distinction of Possessions and Heritage's which we see among men doth likewise make us to acknowledge a Deity, and so doth wholly evert the Eternity of the World. Men are not as Bruits, which poslesse nothing, and live upon that they meet with, and which the Earth brings forth of itself, for man posseses something, so as that it pertaineth not to another, whether they be movable or not, Lands, Fields, or whatever Possessions they be.  
The bodies-politic, and Commonalties have also their own Limits and Distinctions from other bodies, so States, Republics, Empires, Kingdoms, and Monarchies, have each one of them their Limits, within which Bounds their Possessions are contained, which evidently shows, that men have divided the Earth between themselves, since that they have and possess each one a part of it. Now if they have divided it, than there was a time when it was not divided, and if men have in a certain time begun to divide the Earth, it follows that they have not been always upon the Earth, for what should they have done upon the Earth for an infinite space of time without dividing of it? and if they had always been upon the Earth, why did they at last think of dividing it? And if they have begun to divide the Earth, then of necessity there hath been a Beginning of their Being's, and a first Root of them all, it being impossible that they should have been upon the face of the Earth from all Eternity, and in the same number as they are now, as heretofore hath been plainly showed. So from this Division of the Earth, it appears that this World is not eternal, and therefore that since it hath a Beginning, it hath also an Author, to wit God.  
Now in this Partition of Lands, Goods, and worldly possessions between men, its necessary that a wise, just, and powerful Providence intervene to rule over all this, that every one may have his share, otherwise in such a Partition there could be but a horrible and stupendious Confusion and Disorder which would also destroy itself; for the covetousness of men being infinite, and without any Limits or Bounds, each man would get as much as he could to himself, even to the disadvantage of any one, unless there was any one gave them a stint, and set the limits to every man's possession, such as he judgeth convenient.  
And indeed, Whosoever shall seriously consider, how the Earth is divided in several parcels, according to the diversity of Nations, Peoples, Languages, Empires, and Kingdoms, and how in every State or Commonwealth, each one of their Bodies and Commonalties have their proper and peculiar portions, and in each Commonalcy each one his possessions and Heritage's, doubtless in this he shall find a wonderful Harmony, and an admirable disposition, which cannot proceed from Fate and Fortune; but indubitably is from a supreme Wisdom, which hath so managed and disposed of these things, and given to every one so much as it judged fit, as a dying Father doth justly and wisely give to every one of his Children their Portions to avoid the Suits and Quarrels that might arise among them.  
This distinction of Heritage's and Possessions doth not proceed from the Fancy ●nd mere Will of man (see the forecited passage of Moses for that) but is grounded upon Justice and Reason, it proceeds I say from that Reason by which man is above bruits, and is the Foundation of all those virtues which make him so wonderful and excellent above beasts, for without the distinction of Mine and Thine, there could not be amongst men any Operation of Virtue. The Earth of itself brings forth, and affords to all living Creatures all that is necessary for them to keep them alive, Man only excepted; therefore they have nothing of their own, but live in common with what they meet withal, but as for man, if he will supply his necessary wants, he must labour, till the Earth, and in sundry manners seek out of it that which is profitable to, or necessary for him: And to this end he is endowed with Reason, which guides and instructs him in his undertake. Now it is just, and consonant to Reason, that every one should enjoy the fruits of his Labours, and possess the incoms of them: Add to this, that man comes naked into the World, and hath need of  to cover himself, as well for decency, as to protect him from the injuries of Wether, and therefore needs a house also to shelter himself, and of several utensils to supply the needs of this Life, which obligeth him to betake himself to divers kinds of Handicrafts, and Workmanships, the possession and disposition of which ought to belong to those that made them.  
Moreover, Man in this differs from Beasts, in that he ought not to follow his Lusts loosely without Rule or measure, but aught to be tied to one woman by an indissoluble Bond, and this Nature hath taught to all Peoples and Nations, even the most wild and barbarous, all which of them do practise Marriage as a Doctrine taught them by Nature and Reason: it follows then that the breeding and education of the Children which are born from Marriage, ought rather to be given them by their Fathers and Mothers then by any others.  
From all these forementioned, it appears that the distinction of Mine and Thine, and the difference of Possessions of Goods and Heritage's, proceeds from an immutable and Natural Right grounded in Reason, Equity, and Justice, and not an arbitrary thing merely depending upon the Fancy of men that would have it so, whence the impertinency of Plate is evident, who would in his Common Wealth have all things, even Women and Children common, for besides that, in this state of sin which man is now involved in, such a thing is both absurd and impossible, and would introduce in the society of men a monstrous confusion of things, I say that even if there were no sins in man, and that he was in his first are of purity, it could not with any pretence of Reason have place any where, as before it hath been showed.  
Now in this difference of Mine and Thine, which is, and aught to be among men, and without which their society cannot subsist, is ground the Exercise of all Virtues, as of Justice, Temperance, Truth, Fidelity, Magnanimity, Liberality, etc. This being so, we must necessarily acknowledge a Providence and infinite Wisdom which hath endowed man with this Reason, and ground of this difference of Mine and Thine, and so consequently of all Moral Virtues which all do acknowledge to be the most glorious, admirable, & excellent things in all the world, and which could never have had for its Author, Fate, or change, or any irrational thing, such as necessarily the order of Nature is, unless it be ruled and governed by a superior wisdom.  
If the order which is seen in the Actions of men, and in the regulating of their states, is a sufficient argument to enforce us to the acknowledgement of a Providence which over rules them, as it hath been before showed, the disorder which we evidently see among them, is no less valid and clear to demonstrate this same Providence, which is always employed in regulating and amending of it. Now as Order in the forenamed Actions doth consist in Virtue, and the Exercise of it, so the disorder consists in vices and crimes which are contrary to Virtue, and as it was concluded before, that unless there was a Providence to contain within certain bounds the disorders which are seen in Nature, all this Mass of the World would presently be in a confusion, and would be resolved in its first Chaos, so we must confess that the disorder in the lives and actions of men is so enormous, and great, that unless it were bridled by Providence, the Society of men could not subsist, and would be nothing else then mere robberies, and like enormities, every man endeavouring as much as in him could lie to fulfil his lusts to the prejudice of any body, and by what means soever he could devise.  
This disorder is regulated and suppressed two manner of ways: First by Laws, and Politic constitutions, the Authority and Power of Magistrates, both Supreme and inferior, and besides this, by a Power and imperceptible instinct of Providence. And in this Constitution of Laws, and humane Policies, we must of necessity acknowledge a Providence, that directs them, and makes them strong and valid in the spirits of men, for otherwise, who is it that would obey them, seeing men's corruption of humours and manners, to which these Sanctions are directly opposite? Against this, it may be, it will be objected, that necessity hath compelled and obliged men, to make such Laws, and to submit to them, because otherwise the Society of men could not subsist, and that they would devour and kill one another. It's true indeed, that this consideration hath been a Powerful motive to this, but yet it is not this alone which hath been the cause of enacting Laws and Constituting Governments in the World. For, among these Laws there are some, which though they do only provide for the safety necessary for Society and communication, as all the Laws against Murder, Theft, Perjury, or false witnesses; yet there are others, which concern only honesty, Civility, and temperance, as Man is a rational creature; and concerning Piety towards God, and the charity and humanity which we have one towards another, as those concerning the Honour due from the children to their Parents, against adultery, and other excesses, and villainies of this nature, and concerning the cult due to the Deity, and the exercise of charity and humanity towards men, which clearly evidences, that there is something else than this necessity here objected to us, that hath induced men to frame and obey such Laws, to wit, a Deity, the pattern and model of all virtues, and which hath made man to his image and likeness, endowing him with reason, by which he might follow, and imitate them. Add to this, that if this necessity alone had compelled men to that, they had themselves by a common consent and advice framed these Laws, and had constituted Magistrates to keep them only, reserving the full Power and Authority to change them, add to them, or to take and diminish from them, and so to privilegiate whom they pleased, and to exclude them at their will, as it is done in Commonweals, where the people is Governor, as in Democracies. But, albeit there was heretofore, and are yet some such like Commonwealths, yet there hath always been, and are now many more bodies and Commonalties that are Governed Monarchically, the Laws of which have not been erected by little and little, according to the several accasions, by the votes and suffrages of the people, as at Rome, or Athens, but by some wise Lawgiver, which being compiled, have ever since been embraced for their apparent Justice and equity. And the most ancient Lawgiver of all those of whom mention is made in Histories, Moses, raised manifestly by God, to give Laws unto his People, and after him there have been in many corners of the World many wise Legislators, that have given Laws to the bodies, and Comonalties of which they were members; which shows, that necessity alone hath not brought men to the making of Laws, and setting of Magistrates over them, but that a wise and Supreme Providence hath intervened, and stirred, and directed the Lawgivers to this settlement, and hath used the consideration of the necessity, there is of Laws to make people to submit to them: And which hath every where, in every State raised some one or other more noble than the rest, for the singular virtues which was known he was endowed withal, to undertake the Government, the Custody and Preservation of Laws, and even whose will in the Beginning, was a Rule and a Law, and this was, that men might enjoy in him an Image of that supreme wisdom and Power which guides and overswaieth all this World. This Providence which manifesteth itself so in the curbing of evil and disorder by the means of Laws and Magistrates, both supreme and inferior, which he hath settled for the Preservation of humane Society, is also plainly perceived, if we consider the secret motions of it by which men are contained within the limits of their duty, & appears yet more in this, that many particular persons being overcome by their evil passions, and neglecting the fear and reverence they own to the Laws, do openly transgress against it, and People themselves many time rise against their Supreme Magistrate, to dispossess them of their Authority. For, since the fear of the Laws and Magistrates alone is not capable to restrain men's Corruptions, and their proneness to evil, as it appears by so many sad examples and events, we must needs say, and confess, that there is some Power stronger, that all that, and which is far above all these Powers, which doth secretly bridle, and restrain these passions within us; as also our vehement inclinations to evil, otherwise, without this curb, we should run on our courses with a strange impetuosity, and turn all things up-side-down, and wholly disannul the society of men. For, why should not all commit the same extravagancies and enormities that some are guilty of, unless there were some secret thing that restrains them within themselves? and, why should not all commonalties together mutiny against their Magistrates and Governors, as some do, save only for this bridle that holds them in. Now, if all did so, it is evident, that no Society could in any wise subsist; we must then acknowledge from this, that there is a Providence which curbs this violent affection, which man hath towards evil, and hinders him to execute all that he would do, that so the Society and communication which is between men, may be preserved, and that the Deity may be Glorified, in the acknowledgement they are bound to pay him for it.  
If Providence doth evidence itself in the restraint of evil, that it may not grow to the infinite, it appears no less, in that it doth direct, and converts it to good, and in extracting order out of confusion, and light from darkness. The order of humane actions appears in their justice and equity, the disorder in injustice.  
Now it is evident how great a disorder there is in all the actions and deportments of men, witness the injustice, and palpable wickedness which is seen among them; but, nevertheless, in this horrible confusion, and disorder, one may perceive a wonderful order, which appears in the events of Justice, Goodness, and Truth, which proceed from this confusion. For example, who doth not see from the injustice of Joseph's brethren, selling him to those that went to Egypt, a wonderful effect of goodness, in the preservation of all Jacob's family during the famine. And, in the expedition of Nebuchodonosor against the Jews, and Jerusalem, which proceeded from the unbounded ambition of this man, an example of God's Justice, in chastising of this People, and finally, from the injustice and wickedness of the Jews and the Priests against our Lord, issue forth a wonderful effect of goodness, which is the Salvation of mankind. It would be too long to mark and quote all the like examples in which the justice and vengeance of God against the sins of men, or his goodness and bounty towards the other, doth manifest itself by the Ministry of wicked men, against their intentions and designs, who do think nothing less than this, which is an evident testimony that there is a wise and Powerful Providence, which far surpasses all the Counsel, of men, and which bows and inclines their hearts, to what it pleaseth, and doth wisely guide their thoughts, and their hands to execute (though unwittingly) his good, wise, just, and boly will. For, to attribute unto chance and hazard, all those events, in which appears such a wisdom, Justice, truth, and goodness, would be the same, as if one should father upon a blind man a piece where all the glorious, wonderfullest, and fairest draughts, whether of Limning, or writing should appear, and one must be more blind than fortune itself to believe or think so. This Providence appears no less in the casual effects and events which every day happen in the World, in which appear also the effects of Justice, goodness, and truth, which could not be without the direction of a Providence, which guideth all these events, and makes them turn always to the end it hath propounded itself, and those that take occasion to deny the Providence, because there are confusions and disorders among men, and to think that all is done by chance, and do not perceive amidst these confusions the order that may be seen in them, are just like little children, who not understanding the play at Chess, and seeing two excellent gamesters play, would judge, to see the men here and there upon the board, that there were nothing there but disorder and confusion, because they do not understand how each hath reference to another, nor the reason why they are so placed, and as the ignorance of these children doth not prove that the Chess-men are not well ordered, so, neither those that will not acknowledge the wonderful effects of Justice, goodness, wisdom, and truth of God, which appears in the confusion, and disorder of humane actions, do by their incredulity, prove that they are not directed and guided by a wonderful and inperceptible wisdom.   

CHAP. VII. The Mistakes, and Childish oversights of Epicurus, who, though he acknowledges a Deity, yet denies its Providence.  
THe Disciples of Epicurus of these times, would not stick much to confess, and grant, that there is a God, so that it were also granted them, that he doth not meddle with the Affairs of this World; for, that which leads them to this, is, the fear they have to be evil entreated by this Deity, if it takes any notice of their actions: but, because they plainly see the coherence and indissoluble tie of these two things, viz. That if there is a God, he doth also take notice of the Affairs done in the World; and so reciprocally, if there is a Providence, that Providence is a God Almighty, Good, Just, and Wise, they not daring to promise themselves any good from this Deity; here they leave their Master, and boldly deny both God and Providence too. And, although that it may seem here superfluous to confute Epicurus opinion, who acknowledges a Deity, but no Providence, since, that in this point his Disciples, which are now, do not follow him, nevertheless it will not be amiss to show in this very thing the puerile mistake of their Master, that it may appear that they have no great reason to follow him in other things, who in this mistakes, and falters so grossly.  
Epicurus then might justly be asked this question, why, if there is a God, he doth not take notice of the things of this World? And, whether it is because it is a thing too low, and vile, and unworthy his greatness and Majesty, or, is it because he cannot, or that he will not do it, because it would disturb his quiet and tranquillity. There is no reason in either of these. And, as to the first, If there was in this World no order, but only a total confusion, and disorder, it would not be reasonable to attribute to God and his conduct this disorder and confusion: but, this World (as well the great, as the little one) being (as we have showed before) Governed with such a wonderful order, and composed with such a ravishing Symmetry, which cannot proceed but from a Wisdom altogether unspeakable, is it a thing below the greatness, wisdom, and Almighty Power of God, to have so admirably framed, and composed all these things and to preserve and keep them always in this order? By what is known the skill of an Artificer, but by the fair Composure & greatness of his work: The work then of Creation and Providence being (as indeed they are) so great and so wonderful, are they unworthy the Greatness and wisdom of God. And what can we conceive greater or more wonderful, & consequently more worthy of him. And indeed the works of Redemption are yet far more admirable and full of a wisdom, goodness and power more conspicuous, but hence it doth no ways follow, but that the works of Creation, and Providence are to be attributed to him espeally. Seeing that they are the Basis and Foundation of the work of Redemption, and because they are the Subject matter of it, for man should not have been saved and redeemed unless he had been first created, and unless he was conducted and gnided by God in this World. Nor may it be here objected, that the Earth and mud, and a thousand Excrements of Sea and Land, are things too vile and base to be handled, by so clean hands as those of God, and to be an effect of his so mighty and glorious Power.  
For first, Is there not in the World things of a nobler and purer matter than those, the Heavens and those wonderful Torches that shine in them, their Powers and Influences are they too low, vile, and abject things to be managed and governed by him, or to be produced by him? Let then these persons find us out, and show some matter more glorious, noble, and luminous. And as to those vile things which they object to us, it would be indeed below the great Majesty and purity of God, that they should be created and extracted out of this Essence, or that they should make a part of it, and therefore they have not their Rise from thence (they are made of nothing by his Almighty Power) neither make they any part of it. And if God had a Body, Hands, and Fingers, as we have, one might rationally doubt whether it would be fit for him to touch with his most sacred & most pure hands, any matter so vile & base, being that it is not beseeming the Majesty of a King to handle and remove the Earth and Mud as a Potter doth his Clay, or as a Groom the dung from a Stable: But being as he is, incorporeal, and altogether a spirit, his Essence is in so wise contaminated with these things, much less is then the Sun and his Beams is soiled with the Dunghills and Carcases upon which they act and disperse themselves, much less yet then the Souls Essence is tainted with this body which it animates, nor with its part and excrements which it moves and agitates by its Operation and Virtue.  
But, I will ask, Is virtue a thing unworthy of God's cognizance and care, that he may recompense and reward it? contrariwise, what is there in the World more Noble, and more resembling the Deity? In what is man so like to God, as in living holily and virtuously? shall we esteem it a thing unbeseeming God, to love, cherish, and reward virtue, and virtuous men; and consequently, that he knows, sees, and takes care of them? what shall he love then, and to what shall he take pleasure, unless he loves virtue, and those that endeavour after it? And, as for vice, and vicious men, doth not God hate them? yes certainly, unless we will transform him in that wicked Principle of the Manichees and make of God a Devil; and hating vice and vicious men, shall we think that he leaves them unpunished, and that he doth not care to show by his chastisements, his hatred of, and displeasure against them; would not this be to make men believe, that vice and virtue are things indifferent to him, and that he cares for either alike. Briefly, the Conduct, Government, and Superintendency of so many People's, Nations, States, Kingdoms, Commonwealths, and Monarchies, which are upon the face of the Earth, their Generation, their Succession one to another (as well as the succession of particular men) and the divers, and so admirable events, which are seen in them, and in which one may perceive so wonderful a Wisdom, even in their very disorders (as we have showed before) is it a thing too low, and vile, and unworthy the care, and intermeddling of God? Who is it then shall do all these things, and to whom will this be better attributed? To hazard, and to blind fortune? But, we have showed, that so admirable an order, which marks out unto us a wonderful wisdom, cannot be the product, and effect of a thing, so brutish and blind as fate is. So then, it is evident, that it is not a thing unbefitting the greatness of God, to take upon him the care and Government of this World, but contrariwise, that there is nothing more beseeming his Wisdom, Power, Justice and goodness.  
Let us see whether it is a thing that he cannot, or that he will not do. If God is, he must needs have subsisted of all Eternity, without any beginning. For, who should have given him his being? He could not have created himself, nor be made out of nothing, without any cause, and no first, or Superior cause can challenge the Creation of him, for there is nothing before, or superior to God. And if he hath existed from all Eternity, he is then infinite, in respect of his duration. And if he hath an infinite duration, his Power is also infinite; and if he is infinitely Powerful, this World, which (though very great) is notwithstanding finite, and is not so great, but that it can have been made, or created by him, or ruled and Governed by an infinite Power, such as his is. Moreover, this God, which Epicurus acknowledgeth, is not he to be placed above all the visible Heavens? yes, for it would be below him, and his greatness, to place, or confine him within this World's compass, and amongst visible things. In whatsoever place then that we are upon the Earth either in this, or the other hemisphere, as the Heavens do always compass us about, so we must conceive, that God is above all these visible Heavens, and not in some part of them only. God then encloses on every side all these Heavens above, where he is granted to be, and consequently, although his Essence should not extend itself infinitely above them all, and that in the ultramundane space there was some limits of his being (which is false, and contradicts the infinity of his Essence and Power) yet should he be much greater than this visible World, and so should have always Power and strength enough, for to move, guide, and Govern this World. He wants then no Power to do this.  
Hath he then no mind to do it? yes, certainly he hath, for why would not he Govern it, since he can do it? We have but just now showed, that it is not a thing below him, but rather much beseeming, and worthy of his Majesty's care. Why then would not he Govern it, is it because he hath no Right to it, or Power over it, and that being just, he will not encroach out his jurisdiction? Who then shall have Right and Authority over this World, unless it be God. Shall we imagine with the Manichees, that there is another Principle which hath this Right, or, that hath his share in it? This would be to constitute two Gods, and albeit another had a share in the Government of this World (which is false, and impossible, yet God always must have his part also) and so by this concession, we must turn to the party of those extravagant and detestable Heretics, with their two Principles, justling and fight against one another, and one still endeavouring to overcome the other. Seeing then that God hath Right and Power over this World, why would not he Govern it? Is it because that would give him too much trouble, would perturbate his repose, and diminish his felicity? It is that indeed which Epicurus saith, but with what ground, or appearance of reason? God being endowed with an infinite Power and Wisdom, cannot he without labour or pain Govern this World, since that so great as it is, yet it is still infinitely below God. The heavens, and those glorious bodies that are fixed to them, are not wearied with turning always above us, nor of acting by their influences in these sublunary bodies, for the production of all things that are; and shall we believe that the Deity, which is a Spirit Almighty, and Alwise, should toil, or weary himself in sustaining, maintaining, conducting, and governing this World, which is so small, in comparison of him, that it is less than nothing. Men, in their thoughts, Counsels, and designs, and in the deliberations they take, for the regulating, and managing of their Affairs, or those of the public, do weary themselves, and thence grow sad, and irksome to their own selves (which perturbates their content) because they are corporeal, and that the motions of their souls are made through the help of the organs of the body, which by the motion and agitation of the animal spirits, do sometimes stretch, raise, and bend themselves too much, and so as it were they break, and split themselves, or else they weary and hurt themselves, by being too eager and intent on what they do; and these spirits also dissipate themselves, so that they need an often reiterated rest, to repair the loss of these dissipated spirits. But God being a pure Spirit, without any mixture of body or matter, is never weary in his thoughts, purposes, and designs, neither doth he discourse after the manner of men, drawing a conclusion from the Premises, neither doth he think of one thing, and then of another, for there is not in him (I mean in his wisdom and intelligence, no more then in the Eternity of his duration) neither first nor second prius & posterius, but all these thoughts, designs, counsels, and resolutions, are in him but one single and pure act, by which he sees, knows, understands, wills, and ordereth all things; his most pure, and perfect simplicity (which agreeth with so excellent and infinite a Nature) requireth that, and it implies a contradiction, that there should be in his Essence any variableness, or shadow of turning; we do conceive the Essence of God, his virtues, and properties, his wisdom, power, understanding, his will, that is to say, his Counsels, and designs, as by so many images, forms, and distinct conceptions, because that being corporeal, and finite, and he a Spirit, altogether infinite, we cannot see, nor comprehend what God is in himself, but we know well nevertheless, that God's perfection, and simplicity doth not admit of so many things wholly different one from another; neither doth it imply that they be in his Essence formaliter (as the Schoolmen say) but eminenter, & causaliter, as we hold that the Sun is not in his substance and Essence hot as the fire is, but only as he is the cause of heat every where. It is then a very low thought of God, to imagine, that he labours in thinking, or designing any thing, or that he wearies himself in acting, and from thence, that he grows melancholy, and sad, and that this troubles his repose, and content, and in some manner abates from his felicity.  
Whence then did proceed this Philosophers so low and base thought and imagination, unworthy his great parts. It seems to me indeed, that it was rather an evasion, than any certain and fixed opinion of his. That is, that he not daring (as I have said before) to deny flatly and plainly all manner of Deities, for fear of being persecuted, hated, and detested by the World, laughed at, hissed, and neglected by honest men, and men of parts, he hath yielded to the commonly received opinion concerning the Deity, but hath debarred him from any knowledge of, or care for the World, which is that which all his Disciples and followers would have granted to them. And when he was asked, why he denied that the Deity had any such knowledge, or care, he hath waved this question, by this evasion, that then God would have too much trouble upon him, and that it would disquiet him, and would something diminish of his happiness and tranquillity, And when it hath been objected to him, that then it is a vain and unprofitable thing to serve and honour this Deity; that he might not seem altogether profane, in granting, that God's service is superfluous, and unprofitable, he hath eluded this question, by saying, that although we receive nothing from the Deity for all the service we do him, yet it is to be served and adored, as being in itself most glorious and excellent, and as such it ought to be honoured and adored by us, as we honour, and have in great esteem, those Kings and Princes that are strangers, although we do not expect any reward from them, nor fear their punishments. And upon this, to give some colour to his Witty, but profane answer, he hath built many sublime speculations of the excellency of the nature of God, of his immutability, of his perfection, that he needeth nothing out of himself, having in himself all manner of perfections, which make him perfectly happy and contented. And, because quiet and tranquillity of spirit doth conduce much to, yea, doth almost wholly make up the happiness of man, he would in no way deprive God of it, but hath exalted it highly both in God and in men, and held that this said tranquillity consisted in virtue, and in the exercise thereof, and hath enlarged upon these Noble speculations much more than any other of those heathen Philosophers that were before him: and by these he hath got both the admiration and commendation of men; and all this was, that his opinion might be received, and pass for currant amongst the refinedst wit: But all this was, that he might establish his assertion, viz. That God hath neither care nor knowledge of humane things, as not having need himself for the perfecting of his happiness, of contentment and tranquillity, or the enjoyment of any of these visible things, without which he may very well be, and the care and Government of which would rather be a care and tediousness to him, than any pleasure and contentment. Now it is very true that God is perfect, yea, much more perfect than ever this man believed him to be, and that for his happiness and perfection he hath no need of any Terrestrial, Worldly, and visible things, and that he was very well without them in an infinite number of ages, before the World began. Neither hath he created all these for any need that he had of them, or that by them he might add something to his happiness; but incited by his own goodness, that he might communicate out of himself, as much as might be his goodness, virtues, and perfections.  
Which is an argument of his perfection, to be not only good and happy in himself, but also to be willing to do good to others, in communicating to them something of his goodness and perfections. We see a shadow and image of this in those persons which are virtuous and liberal, who, not being contented to be rich, and to abound themselves, do communicate to others as much as in them lieth of their virtues and riches, which all naturally do esteem to be a great perfection.  
This great, but profane Philosopher, hath not considered, or at least would not do it, that this, (viz. Communication) being a virtue most commendable in man, he was not to alienate it from God, but attribute it to him as a quality and property most consonant to the excellency of his nature, and from thence he was to conclude, that this World was the production and workmanship of God, (according to this his propriety) and that he had in his hands the ruling and Government of it; being it is in no wise rational, that the Creation, Subsistence, Preservation, Conduct and Administration of so admirable a piece of workmanship, should properly belong to any other but him.  
And albeit some will say in his favour, that it was so far from him to be an enemy to virtue, and a friend to vice, that he hath extolled it the most of any, and hath made it to seem more glorious than ever it was thought she was before; that which he hath done, was in effect nothing else then to make a veil to cover his profaneness, and by his doing so, make his poison to be swallowed down with more ease, by the fine wits which he hath entangled and caught by his discourses: for this spot and stain will never be taken away, viz. That he taught that we must not hope any thing from God, or fear him who did not meddle with any thing we have to do in this World. By which doctrine he doth cry down Prayer, Invocations, and Thanksgiving to the Deity (which is the very heart and marrow of true Religion and Piety) yea, the very fear and respect, and love which we own to God. For, what fear, and respect, and love, can we have towards a Deity, which, by their tenants we cannot know, because it hath neither made the World, nor Governs it and which hath no commerce with Man; there being no other way to come to the knowledge of a Deity, then either the consideration of the World, and of the works of God in it, or the Revelation that he may make to us of himself, in his own Word. And therefore, all that Epicurus and his followers can say, touching the Service and Honour due to God, is in effect, nothing but a slight evasion which they framed, that they might avoid the envy and hatred of men against their impiety, at which cults and services (as in no wise agreeing to their maxims) they did laugh within themselves, as Cicero doth report, that the ancient Augurs did laugh among themselves at their Doctrine of the Auspicia, though they did recommend it to the simple people as a Divine thing.  
Which the Disciples of Epicurus have verified sufficiently by their practice, in which there was little or no respect rendered by them to the Deity, witness a Latin Poet in these Verses.  
Parcus deorum cultor, & infrequens  
Jusanientis dum sapientiae  
Consultus err.   

CHAP. VIII. The sixth Argument, Drawn from the Immortality of the soul.  
THose that do deny a Deity, do also consequently deny that there is another life after this, and that man's soul is immortal, and will acknowledge neither Paradise, nor Hell, nor Angels, nor Devils, and these things indeed are so firmly conjoined together, that whosoever denyeth, or affirmeth one of them, ought also to affirm, or deny the rest. So that the Sadduces among the Jews, who denied that there was either Angel, Spirit, or Resurrection, were in effect right Epicures, and Atheists, like those of these times, who for the fear of the Laws, and shame of the World, not daring openly to say what they think, make an outward Profession of the Religion which is Publicly received in the Land or State, of which they are members, though they really believe nothing of it, but laugh and gibe at it secretly, and hold it to be a mere tale.  
The Reason of this impiety and profaneness, is that which we have noted in the beginning, viz. That these persons are wholly sensual and carnal, bewitched with the pleasures and sweets of this World, in which they constitute their supreme good & happiness; which is that that makes them to hold for Fables all that is said of another Life after this, and the Happiness and Misery which attends men there. They hold also that the Soul dyeth and perisheth with the Body, neither will they acknowledge that there are any Angels or Devils, that so they may not be forced to confess that the Soul is immortal, and that there is an Eternal punishment of the wicked after this Life, and by this means they do deny also the Deity and his Providence. For they plainly perceive that if there is a God, he is a just Judge, and a Revenger of the sins and iniquities of men, and that the God of Epicurus is in effect nothing but an Idol and a vain imagination. From the Deity they cannot expect or promise to themselves any favour; since that they do not love and cherish Virtue, but only desire to satisfy their evil Concupiscences in which they think the Summum bonum is contained, which is that, that makes them to deny the Deity, the Immortality of the Soul, and another Life where there is a Hell, and a Paradise, their Conscience telling them, that they cannot have a part in the Paradise, and that Hell, if there is any, is for them and their like.  
On the other side, if the Soul is immortal there is another Life, and in it a place of pleasure or sorrow for man, there are also Angels Copartners of this Joy, and Devils the Executioners of these Supplices, and above all, a God who doth justly reward the one, and punish the other: For if the Soul is immortal being, as it is, naturally very active, it cannot be always without any sentiment, and remain so forever, for that would be little less than death, it must needs then follow that it participates of some joy and content, or that it is tormented and hath an infinite share of sorrow, and that for the Reward of that good or evil, vice or virtue, to which it hath been addicted in this Life; for we have showed heretofore that Virtue is worthy of Commendation and Reward, and Vice of shame and of sorrow. Which not being sufficiently according to their merits rewarded in this Life; it must needs be rewarded in the other: otherwise both vice & virtue should be deprived of their due, which is against Nature and Right Reason. And this is to grant a Paradise and a Hell. And if the Soul is immortal, there is no reason to deny that there are Angels and Devils; since either of them are immaterial, spiritual and incorporeal substances. And indeed nothing makes these men to deny that there are Angels, and Devils, but that if they grant this, they must also confess, that the soul is immortal, and so that there is a Heaven and a Hell, which is that which they so much fear and tremble at.  
Now it may be proved, both by testimony and by reason, that the soul is immortal, by the Testimony, I say, of all men, that are, or have ever been upon the face of the Earth; for, if the records of Antiquity be looked into, and History, both Ancient and Modern be read, it will be found that there never was yet, neither at this day is there any People, or Nation, whether civilised or not, which doth not acknowledge that the soul of man doth subsist, and lives after the death of the body: but of the strength of this proof we will speak hereafter; as for the arguments that prove the immortality of the Soul, they cannot be a priori, for there is none but God that is the cause of it, whose existency we are now about to demonstrate. These arguments than must be taken a posteriori, and we must prove this immortality by the effects of the Soul, and indeed they are such effects, so great and admirable, as cannot proceed from a mortal and material cause; Now its effects and operations are either internal in the soul itself (and those either in the Intellect, as Knowledge, or in the Will, as the Virtues) or external, as the Speech and the motions of the body, and the parts of it, whence do proceed the wonderful and stupendious works of liberal, and mechanical arts. In all the things that are seen in this great World there are several degrees of the excellency of things, the one being above the other, by which, as by so many Ladders, we ascend at last to the knowledge of immaterial and eternal things, the lower degree of these is of insensible things, that have neither Life nor Motion, as Stones, Metals, etc. The second is of those that have some life by which they grow, and are nourished, etc. The third is of those, that besides this kind of life have a sensitive faculty, and local motion by which they are carried from one place to another, as all the Animals. Amongst which there are several degrees of perfection. For there are some of them that have only the sense of feeling, as Oysters; some, besides the sense of feeling, have the sense of tasting also, as Bees, and many other Infects: Others again have the senses of smelling and hearing, as the Moles or Wants. And finally, these are the most perfect Animals, which have the five external senses, and among these there are some that excel in one sense, some in another: as the Eagles, which have a very quick and sharp sight, and the Vultures, Wolves, and Dogs have a very exqisite faculty of smelling. These Senses do receive in them the Spcies and Ideas of the material qualities that are inherent in their Subjects, from these senses they are afterwards conveyed to the Imagination or common sense, which receiveth them, and from which doth straightways proceed the knowledge of the things themselves. By this Knowledge they are induced to hate, or fly from; to love, or pursue after these very things, and to move towards, or remove from them. But all this Knowledge, which consisteth and is seated in the Imagination, is only of singular and individual things, and they are also material, because the qualities, which are the Objects of the senses, are all material, and have quantity for their Subject and foundation: Above all this is man endowed with Reason, of which all other Animals are deprived, and by which he doth things much more wonderful than they altogether can. For by it he knows not only singular, individual, and immaterial things, but also those that are universal: And by it he discourses, makes Arguments, draws and deduces one thing from another, doth dive into the Nature of things, and seeks after their Causes from whence the Sciences are raised, and the knowledge of Philosophy and of all its parts is attained to: to which we can find nothing like among the other Animals. By this same Reason he abstracts quantity from matter (by a mental abstraction) be it either Quantit as Concreta or Discreta, as they term it, Viz. Numbers, Superficies, Geometrical Bodies, and doth consider their sever all kinds, figures, qualities, properties, proportions analogical, etc. from whence do proceed the Mathematical sciences so wonderful in all their kinds, whether they be simple and absolute, as Arithmetic and Geometry; or compound, as Astronomy, Optics, Music, etc. from the knowledge of which proceed so wonderful effects, that they even ravish out of themselves the very Artists in those Sciences. By this same Reason man doth consider the time and place, and all things that are done in them, and not only those that are present; or that are done, or happen before his eyes, but also those things that are past, which he doth keep in his Memory, & keeps a Register of them; & often judges of those things that are to come, which he doth often foresee by a Moral conjecture, he knows also the place, not only of his Birth, and where he dwelleth, viz. his house, and that which is round about it, but also all the Country round about, even of all the world so great as it is; for he conceiveth it in his mind, and gets a certain & true Idea of it, and by the means of all these things he acquireth so exquisite a wisdom and prudence, that he is known to be admirable, not only in the administration of his household affairs, but also of those of entire Corporations, Commonalties, Cities, States, Commonwealths, Kingdoms and Monarchies: to which there is nothing like in any other of the Animals.  
By this same Reason man comprehendeth that which is infinite; conceiving in his mind that which hath no limits, either in respect of quantity, time or place: for he apprehendeth that there is not so great a number, but may be made greater, and that to the infinite: And that there is neither line, superficies, body, or place so great, but that it may be extended further, and that infinitely.  
And that there is neither time, nor duration of great length; but that it may be conceived infinite, either in regard of that which was before, or which is to follow after. And so in some sort he comprehends Eternity and Immensity, which could not be, unless his Soul was in some Respect infinite, at least in respect of its duration, that is to say, unless it was indeed mortal, and immaterial.  
Finally, By this same Reason, man conceiveth and comprehendeth the things immaterial as Spirits and Intelligences, and even the Deity itself, and doth consider their Properties, qualities, virtues, aftections, and actions, and reflecting upon its own self, and by her proper actions and operations, she knows and judges that she is, and aught to be Immortal, Immaterial, and spiritual, which could not be effected by her, unless that in deed she was such. By this Reason man is capable of Virtue, which is its own effect produced in its Will; by which Virtue man doth chief appear to be more excellent than Brutes, and comes nearer to the Deity, of which Virtue is a lively Image. Virtue, which is praised and commended by men, and by the Deity itself, to which is most justly due that Recompense and Reward, which is but seldom paid to her in this Life. For who knows not, that the most honest and virtuous men are often despised and of no Esteem, and commonly hated, persecuted and tormented by the rest of men: Which is the cause, that many Heathen of old, perceiving how unjustly and ill Virtue was entreated, and not being able to comprehend how a wise and just Providence could or should suffer this, have rather denied the Providence, and committed the managing of humane affairs to chance and fortune, then to tax the Deity of this Error, which (they thought) could not be avoided, if this Providence had any thing to do in this World. Whereas they should have rather acknowledged the Immortality of the Soul, and that there is another Life than this, in which man is to receive that just Recompense due to his works, which is more conformable to Reason, then to deny the Providence and Deity. This Virtue then which is so excellent, and which doth in some sort Deify men, and is by all acknowledged to be such, cannot be an effect or production of a gross and corruptible matter, but rather of a spiritual and immortal Essence. As to the Effects of reason, which show themselves externally and out the Soul, there is first the Speech, by which man expresseth his Conceptions, Passions, and Affections, and makes itself to be understood by others, which speech is a proper and incommunicable Effect. And this faculty is found to be in no other than in man, so that the Jewish Philosophers have always defined a Rational Animal to be a Speaking Animal: for though some Birds may be taught to speak, their Speech is nothing but a brutish imitation, void and destitute of all Reason, and which is in no ways guided by it: and though some Animals have a voice by which they express their desire, and internal motions, that comes nothing near the speech of man, by which he expresseth so distinctly, and in every particular all his Conceptions: therefore the voice of Brutes is an effect proceeding from a much inferior Cause, and altogether of another Nature, then that from which proceeds the speech of man.  
The motions of man's body and of all its parts which proceed from the Will, and are guided by Reason, are such, so various, and wonderful in respect of those of Beasts, that they give a plain evidence that the Body of man, so artificially made and fitted to so many motions, is the dwelling of a more excellent Guest, then that which carries and moves the body of Beasts: for these admirable works and effects of both Liberal and Mechanical Arts being seriously considered, do argue a cause altogether spiritual and divine, and are not the Effects of a corruptible matter. For, I pray, for example, what wonderful thing is Writing, which with so few Characters doth express an infinite number of words so different, which serve not only for every particular Langnage, but for every Tongue under Heaven? And what a wonder is it, that the Hands and Fingers are so artificially made and fitted to infinite forts of Motions necessary for the Exercise of all the Arts, and for the working of all those things that are in a manner infinite? In which thing we must acknowledge a wisdom altogether divine, which hath so wisely framed this humane Body, and grant that there is an immortal and spiritual faculty, which directs and guides all these so different, and almost infinite motions. Time would be wanting to any that would decipher the Wonders and Excellencies of Limning, Sculpture, Music, and of all other Arts, both Liberal and Mechanical, the effects of which are so admirable, that man wonders at his own self, and is almost swallowed up with the admiration of his works. By all that hath been said, it is easy to see what an infinite distance there is between the Soul of Man and that of Beasts, since the effects of both are so divers, and that there is no Reason to say that the one as well as the other is material, corruptible, or mortal. Those that have observed and collected the various effects of the imaginative faculty of Brutes, of their industry and foresight of things, of some appearance of Virtue, etc. that they might make them run parallel with those which proceed from man's Reason, to show by this, that the Soul of the one is not of another Nature than the Soul of the other; and that bring for Examples, the quickness and vivacity of the Apes and Elephants, and their aptness to be taught to do any thing one would have them to do; Also the Labour and Industry of Bees, by which they frame their Lodges, and make the Wax and Honey; The Oeconomy and foresight of Amets', the chastity of Doves, and Turtles, the watchfulness, order, and obedience of Cranes, (such as is the Author of a dialogue entitled Brother Anselme, where he brings an Ass disputing against this Monk, and proving to him, that all the advantages, privileges, prerogatives, and excellencies, that man pretends to have above beasts, are equalled, if not surpassed, by all those things that we see of their nature) such persons I say have not said or written these things seriously, but rather to show the vivacity of their wit, and the Knowledge that they had of the Nature of brutes, or if they have done it seriously & deliberately, and on purpose to make good the Mortality of the Soul, and to plead the Atheists Cause (as it seemeth that this forementioned Author hath done, because that after he hath pleaded at large the Cause of Beasts against man, and ingeniously confuted, as he thinks, all the arguments that can be brought to prove its excellency above that of beasts, at last he yields, and flies to one argument taken from the death of the Son of God, which he hath suffered only for man, and to which the beasts have no part: an argument very strong, but which is of no value among Atheists, and profane persons, and at which they laugh in themselves, as being foolish and ridiculous) these I say show themselves in this to be more brutish and ignorant than this Ass, which they make to dispute so subtilely: there being in effect no comparison betwixt these pretended wonders and excellencies of beasts, and those which are really seen in man; which in this goes infinitely beyond them, and in respect of which all the rest are as a phantasm, or mere nothing.   

Chap. IX. The seventh Argument, Drawn from the good and evil Conscience of men.  
It is a certain thing, and daily experience teacheth us, and the Records of Antiquity do witness, that every man (unless he is altogether barbarous and brutish) hath a conscience of the good and evil that he doth. For he knows very well, when he hath done well or ill: and if he hath done ill, his Conscience accuseth him, and if he hath committed any enormous crimes, his Conscience doth affright him, and gives him no rest, but doth continually torment him, fills his soul with anguish, and sometimes, yea very often, doth cast him into despair. Of the truth of this no one can doubt, since History is altogether full of examples of the like nature. These be the Furies of the Heathen Poets, who with their whips, scorpions, and torches, do incessantly pursue and torment the wicked, and this is no other but Prometheus' Vulture, which doth constantly gnaw man's heart, and the Worm that dieth not, which is mentioned in Scripture.  
These fears and terrors do not proceed from the sear of the punishment that men may inflict upon them, and those men themselves are perplexed with them, which fear nothing from men, as the Tyrants, and other wicked men, and all those that are in great Authority among men, as Dionysius, the Tyrant of Sicily, made his great favourite to acknowledge this, by hanging a sword just over his head; and Caligula also, who did hid himself under his bed-clothes whensoever he heard the thunder. And that which is to be much noted is this, that very often they are then more affrightned by alarms of their conscience; when they are near their end, and have as it were one foot in the grave, and have no reason to fear any thing from men's part, all which is a clear evidence that they dread another Judge, and fear some other punishment, and that they acknowledge there is another life then this, in which there is something to be feared, or hoped for. It is a poor and simple evasion to say, or imagine, that these fears and terrors proceed from a false opinion that men are persuaded to, viz. That there is another life; for, if this persuasion was , and without any foundation, how can it be so prevalent over men's spirits, as that (for what they can do) they cannot be persuaded to the contrary, though (I say) they do with all their hearts desire that it were false.  
It is a very easy thing to persuade ourselves with that which we desire, but it is not easy to persuade a thing, which is wholly contrary to that which we desire and wish, and especially to persuade it universally, to all, without any exception; for, whose Authority at any time might have been so great, as to make us believe this without any reason? or, who should have been so very subtle, as to back this with reasons, which deceive all the World, and even those that desire to discover the falsity of them? and how is it, that, if the opinion of the Atheists is true in this, and their reasons and arguments so good and solid, they do not make all the World believe them, and do not show clearly how vain is the contrary opinion, and the reasons for it: for though they make some believe it, they be such as have overwhelmed and drowned their reason in carnal delights and pleasures, and who are like a Malefactor, who makes himself drunk in the prison, whilst the Sentence is pronouncing against him. But all their reason and subtileness will never persuade it to those that are perplexed, and tormented within themselves by the guilt of their crimes, and they themselves very often are not free from the scourges of these Furies, which in spite of them do sometimes give them terrible checks, which is an invincible argument of this great truth, naturally imprinted in the hearts of men, that there is a just Judge, and a severe Revenger of their sins, which he never leaves unpunished. It is also a poor evasion to say, that such are not bred in the School of Epicurus, whose followers and disciples laugh at these phantasms and Chimaeras. For first, experience showeth, that they themselves are not exempted from these terrors of conscience: and (I think) they will grant Caligula, and such like Monsters were of their tribe, who yet have felt these compunctions and terrors.  
Secondly, every one, through the corruption of his Nature, and his strong inclinations to evil is to himself a Master of Epicurism, and a professor of Atheism, and would (if he could) persuade this to himself, that so he might with more freedom let the reins lose to all his passions. And though it may be those that have these alarms and terrors, are not open and professed Atheists, yet they are so in their will and desires, and nevertheless they cannot do so much as to free themselves from these fears, and to lose the opinion they have of a Deity, and of a Providence which will avenge itself of their crimes, which doubtless they could easily do, since they desire and endeavour after it, if this opinion was false and vain, and did proceed from nothing but from a vain institution, or the fancy of some that should at first have taught it. And it is much to be wondered at, if the opinion of the Atheists be true, how those that have rid Common wealths of Tyrants, and oppressors, have been commended by all, have had their Statues erected, and Panegyrics have been composed to praise them, and extol them unto Heaven; whereas, if Epicurus in Athens, or Lucretius in Rome, had ascended the Theatre, to persuade men to their opinion, and to free them from these Tyrannical, insulting, and by them pretended Panicall terrors of Conscience, which do perplex and torment the souls of men; instead of being applauded, they had been stoned, and branded with the execrations and curse of every one.  
And although all those that are laden with vices, and enormous crimes, are not vexed, or tormented by these Furies, yet this is not an argument to evince, that therefore these terrors are vain (no more than because all here below do not receive the just punishment due to their crimes, is an argument that there is no Providence that taketh notice of them) but is rather a clear evidence of the sottishness and brutishness of men, which drown their reason in the torrent of their vices: and the remorses and worm of conscience in the rest, are sure proofs and effects of the Deity, which never leaves itself without a witness in man, whose conscience is his own accuser, witness, judge, and executioner altogether.  
If man knows, and is certain of the evil that he doth, and if his conscience accuses and affrights him, he knows also, and is very certain of the good he doth: and that knowledge that he hath of his innocency, and good life, doth cause in him a great rest and quietness, and a wonderful tranquillity of mind, which he values and esteems more, and which makes him more happy and content then wicked men are with the enjoyment of all their goods, honours, pleasures, and riches. And of this felicity and content, which honest men do partake of more than the wicked men, the writings of heathen Philosophers themselves are full, without excepting even Epicurus, who hath been forced to acknowledge this truth, which is a strong argument, that virtue hath a more real and nobler recompense in itself, than that happiness which is pretended to consist in the goods, honours, pleasures of this life; and that it carries along with itself its own reward, and expects another somewhere else then in this life (and that cannot be altogether the praise and esteem of men, and the posterities romembrance of their good works, because most commonly virtue and virtuous men are deprived of this) which shows unto us its excellency above vice, and an infinite distance between her and evil. Moreover, when men are wrongfully and unjustly blamed, their goods, life, and laudable actions calumniated, and their persons abused and defamed, they justify and defend themselves as much as they can, and passionately and vehemently endeavour to prove their innocency; and this very thing do the Atheists, against whom we dispute, if they are at any time calumniated, or blamed without a cause. Why this, I pray, unless there was a vast difference between good and evil, vice and virtue, unless the one was worthy of praise, the other of disgraces; the one of punishment, the other of reward? I say, what need they care to be praised, or vilified, if these praises, or disgraces are in effect but imaginary things, without any real ground, and if all this doth confist but merely in fancy and opinion?  
These pretended strong wits should laugh at all the ill opinion that men can have of them for their crimes, and should not put themselves to the trouble of making any Apologies then when they are wrongfully accused, for why should one trouble himself for a false imagination, that hath no real and solid foundation? And this is an Argument to prove, that those men, maugre themselves, are forced to acknowledge, even against their own Maxims, what a vast difference there is between good and evil, vice and virtue, the recompense due to the one, and the punishments which the other doth deserve.  
Again, experience teacheth us, that when men are violently and unjustly oppressed, without any means or hopes to revenge themselves, they have recourse to the Deity, from whose Justice they expect and promise to themselves the revenge of that wrong which is done to them. Which Tertullian doth remark very well in his Apologetic against the Heathen, and saith, that if any one of them was oppressed, he did cry out, Deus videt & Deus reddet; God sees, and God will render it: and that in saying so, he did not look towards the Capitol, where was the Temple of Jupiter: but toward God's Throne; and he adds, that it is an evidence of a Soul really Christian.  
For, this motion doth not proceed from a preconceived opinion of a Deity, which hath been imprinted in a man's soul by education: but which proceeds from his conscience, and from the bottom of his heart, and from the judgement of his best and purest reason. which dictates, and suggests to him, yea, makes him in effect to acknowledge, that there is a Deity and Providence, which seethe from above the wrongs that are done here below, and taketh notice of them to the end that they may be revenged, and innocence defended. For it would be a poor refuge, and a small comfort, to have then, and in such a case, recourse unto a false persuasion, which should have no other foundation than the authority and institution of a man, that should have invented, and given for currant so gross a falsehood, such as the Atheists would have the opinion of the Deity to be. It is true indeed, that in things where we have no interest, we are sometimes persuaded by those persons that are eminent, either in learning, or Authority, and do believe things, the falsehood of which we cannot easily discover: but in those things that do so nearly relate to us, that are so important, and that do excite in us so violent motions and passions, we do not rest upon those persuasions, that have so groundless a foundation.  
By all this it doth appear, that man hath not only an acquired, but also a natural knowledge of the Deity and Providence, and of the real and essential difference there is between good and evil, vice and virtue; his own conscience and reason dictating and persuading him both the one and the other.  
Again, experience shows us, that man hath a natural knowledge, and resentment of the Deity and his Providence: for, when he is surprised in a moment by a manifest, evident, and unavoidable danger of death; as if a house falls upon him in an instant, or that he shall into a precipice, etc. he lifts up presently his heart and mind towards Heaven, and in this extremity, and distress, hath his recourse to the Deity, and prays unto it, that it would aid and secure him, and casts himself in the arms of his protection, as a child doth in the arms of his father.  
Likewise the firmness, constancy, and quietness of mind of the truly-faithfull, and Christians, when they did departed from this World; as also the constancy of the holy Martyrs of the Lord Jesus; and the hope, which they have of a better life, is an evident testimony of this truth. For then, and in that place, it is not a time to soothe one's self, and feed one's hopes with Fables. And how could the imagination of a mere Chimara cause in them so wonderful a resolution, and so great tranquillity of mind? If the persuasion of a Deity did merely proceed from Institution, and Authority, which should make us believe it without any ground of Reason, it would not doubtless make so deep an impression in our Souls, and would quickly vanish of itself at deaths encounter.   

Chap. X The eighth Reason, drawn from Wizards, Magicians, Enchantours, and from all the Heathens Idolatry and Superstition.  
IT is a certain thing, which the experience of our days, and that of all ages doth aver, which the Monuments of History, both ancient and modern, confirm, and that the Writings, as well of Heathens as Christians, certify; That there are, and have been at all times in the World, Witches, Magicians, Diviners, Enchantours, and such like notoriously-wicked people; that have a familiar communication, and a frequent commerce with the Devils: by whose help & power they do many strange and prodigious things, above and beyond all human wisdom. All which consequently doth infer, that these things proceed from a supernatural, and immaterial cause; such as the Daemons be.  
The Laws made, and promulgated in all wel-governed States and Commonwealths, as well that of the Jews by Moses, as those of the Christians, and of the Heathens themselves, do evidence this to us. The executions and supplices, which justice doth frequently inflict upon such persons; their Processes; the Relations and Informations, that are made about them, do assure as of this, and leave no doubt of it. The damnable curiosity of many persons, which every day have recourse to such as they, to know, see, and do those things, that cannot be done by any other means, doth also confirm this. The writings of the Heathens, as well Greeks as Romans, are full of instances of such persons, and of their effects, which are stupendious and wonderful. So that a man must wholly renounce his reason, and believe nothing of those things that are done, if he will not also believe that there are such persons; which is true and manifest by all those kinds of Testimonies, and Monuments, which may induce us to believe any thing.  
Now, if there are any Witches, Enchantours, etc. it necessarily follows, that there are Daemons, by whose help and power they cause these prodigious effects to come to pass, which men do wonder at, and look upon with horror and amazement; it being not possible, that these things should be done by any humane Power. The Histories therefore, and writings of all Nations, and even of the Heathen themselves, are full of examples of the Devils apparitions, and of their strange effects.  
The Sibyls, so much taken notice of among the Heathen, are a clear testimony of this; seeing their Predictions could not proceed but from a Deity, or from some Daemon that did possess them. Now, if there are any Daemons, (as cannot be denied) it follows, that there is a Deity above them, which doth restrain them so, as that they shall not overthrow all things by their might: for they have strength and malice enough to do it.  
The Sacred and Ecclesiastical History, which is in this conformable to daily experience, teacheth us, that there have been in former ages, and that there are now persons possessed by Devils; which is evident, and clear, and plainly appeareth by the strange effects, which proceed from them. This same Sacred History lets us know, that there have been Magicians and Enchantours; as it appears by the History of Moses, and the Magicians of Egypt; by the History of Saul, who went to consult with a woman who had a Familiar spirit; and by that of the maid, of whom mention is made in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. But of the truth recorded in these Sacred writings something may be spoken hereafter.  
The books, which since have been written of these Diabolical and Magical Arts, and which are to be got too easily, even among Christians, whose damnable curiosityleads them to this: The public profession of such Magical Arts, which hath been sometimes tolerated in some of the most famous Universities of Christendom, to the great dishonour of Christianity. The common distinction of black and white Magic, which hath been invented by some ancient Philosophers of the Sects of Plato and Pythagoras, who would have found a way, by which they might have subjected the good Daemons to them, and reconcile them to themselves, and which hath from them passed to the Jewish Cabalists, and from them to the Christians: are an invincible argument that there are Magicians and Daemons. The certain and averred Relations of the Northern Countries, and of both the Indies, do testify, that all those places do swarm with them, and that there is scarce one, which hath not his Daemon, and Familiar spirit. That Aignan of the people called Toupinambous, and the Demons, which preside over other Barbaro us people, and which do torment and perplex them most greivously, is a sufficient argument, that they be none, but evil spirits. And it is to be noted, that where there is none, or very small knowledge of the true God, there it is, where the Devils have more power over men, and where they do also most commonly appear; as having in those places a greater Liberty from God, who gives them power to Tyrannize and domineer over those, who know not their Creator and Benefactor.  
The Religion of those of China, and of most part of the Indians is nought else, but an open profession that they make of adoring the Devil, whom they reverence and honour, that he may do them no harm; thinking that the Deity hath no need of such services, and that, (being perfectly good) it will never do them any hurt, and will (without all these services) do them good, whensoever they need it.  
The multitude of Gods, which anciently the Greek and Roman Heathens did adore, and that distinction which they made of them, in deos majorum & minorum gentium, of Gods, Demigods, Heroes of divers sorts, Satyrs, Fauns, Pans, Aegypans, Nymphs of all sorts, Joves, Vejoves; all this in effect was nothing, but a distinction of Daemons, which did veil themselves under these names, and so caused themselves to be adored by men. And their books are full of these Daemons, and all, or the most part of their superstitions, were brought up by the commands of these false Gods, which did speak, and had society with these superstitious persons, and which were adored by them, as if indeed they had been Gods. Their Oracles also so famous among them, and so much taken notice of in divers places, are so many Testimonies of this truth, that there are Daemons, and immaterial spirits: these Oracles being nothing else, than the utterings of these evil spirits, by which they did maintain the Heathens in their superstitions and Idolatries.  
All these things do plainly show, that there are ‛ Daemons, and consequently a Deity, which is above them; as heretofore it hath been demonstrated.   

CHAP. XI. Wherein are answered all the Objections, that are brought against the foregoing Argument.  
MAN, who is ingenious enough in his own destruction, doth here endeavour to deceive himself, and to enervate the strength of the forementioned argument. There are some that think that all things that are reported of Witches and Magicians, and of all their wonderful and prodigious Effects, are old wives Fables, and mere inventions, and the ground of their opinion is; because (say they) notwithstanding that they have desired & looked after such things, and having for these ends made their addresses to those that were reputed famous, and notable Magicians, and Witches, and having desired and solicited them (with promises of great Rewards) to show them something extraordinary and strange, they could never obtain it of them, notwithstanding all their entreaties; but these men do not consider that (if what they say is true) it is a plot of Satan; who, to confirm them in their erroneous Opinion, and by these means to make them surer to himself, hath declined to satisfy their curiosity on purpose: being rather willing to have such perfect Atheists, then to deter them, and make them quit their Errors, by affrighting and amazing them with those things that they had seen. Others say, that there are many fabulous things reported of such persons, and of their Effects, and of the Apparitions of Spirits, and from this they take an occasion not to believe any thing that is said of them, as if they were all forgeries. But, although there be many things falsely reported of them, and that many do delight in inventing such things, we may not therefore conclude, that all things that are said of them are false, and that there are no such persons, nor Daemons. Nay, we may conclude to the contrary, that such stories could not be raised, if there was no ground for them: For who would believe any such things; if there had never been any apparitions of Spirits, nor any strange Effects caused by Witches. For falsehood is in some manner a consequent of Truth, and can find no admittance in men's beliefs; but under some colour of Truth. Unless there were a Physical Virtue in Plants, Stones, Metals, and Natural bodies, to produce several wonderful effects, there could not be so many Fables of their Powers, as we read in Solinus, Pliny, and such Writers. One must indeed, with judgement and discretion, discern in such things that which is fabulous and untrue from those that are averred and attested by Experience and irrefragable Witnesses; of which we have an infinite number, but one may not therefore presently condemn all things that are said and writ by credible persons, without making any difference between that which is false, and that which is true: Especially, when such men have no by-end in relating these things For, if it were so, we might not upon the same account believe, that there ever were such men as Regnault and Roland, because there have been many Romances and Tales made of them.  
Those, who are the Wizard's Patrons think to excuse them; First, By saying, that all things, which are told of their Sabbaths, (or Conventicles) and of all those things that are done there, is nought, but a mere imagination, and a troubled brain, and no real truth; which they maintain to have been verified, in that there have been some, who believing and maintaining, that they have been so transported, and reporting what they had seen and done; have for all that been found lying in their Beds at that very time, or lying as if they had been dead, altogether insensible, and in an Ecstasy: Whence they conclude that all those transports are merely imaginary.  
Secondly, As to those harms they think to do, (as for example, to raise storms, and to send the Vermin into fields and houses, to cause a Rot to fall upon the cattles, and to inflict grievous diseases upon those men, that they bewitch) their Abettors think to excuse them, in saying, that the Devil, foreseeing these things to come, persuades these execrable people, that they are the cause of all these things, and that they do all by their Sorceries and charms; although there is no power or virtue in the charms themselves. But first, by saying thus, they grant that, which we would have, viz. that there are Daemons; whence we infer, that there is also a God to restrain them, and they must of necessity grant it: For how can those people, without the help of the Devil, foresee those storms and tempests, those Vermin, and those Mortality's to come? And if they did prophesy those things by natural causes, why should they endeavour to make them come to pass by their Sorceries? why should they fancy to themselves, that their Charms are the cause of them? Add to this, that these storms and Tempests are most commonly so terrible and furious, and the Effects of them so strange and wonderful; that it plainly appears, that these things do not proceed merely from Natural Causes; but that there is with them something supernatural, which gives them their so strange vigour and motion.  
And as to those harms which these persons confess themselves to be guilty of: Albeit their Enchantments had not that power, as to cause them, it cannot therefore follow that they are not guilty, because they will and intent to do it: and to this purpose they make Compact with the Devil to help them: This evil purpose joined with this Compact renders them wholly inexcusable. Even as he is not to be pardoned, who, not thinking himself able to kill his Enemy, doth implore the help of another to effect it. These Sorceries therefore, being the signs of the Compact they have made with the Devil, and sufficient proofs of their ill Will, and of the endeavours to bring it to pass, do render them wholly guilty; and the less strength and Physical Virtue their Sortileges have, the more clearly it's seen, that there is some supernatural Cause, that produces these Effects, which Cause can be none other, but the Devil, with whom they have made an agreement to do it. And if there is some Physical Virtue in any of those things, that they use, to cause strange diseases, and those Plagues, which they afflict men withal, they must needs have been taught to use them by the Devil; they not being able to know these Virtues by any Study or Experience, or the power of any thing they use in their Sorceries; being that they be all, or most of them, rude, illiterate, ignorant, and stupid persons.  
But, besides this, we must necessarily grant, that Satan hath a great power over the ‛ Diviners and Magicians, who do prophesy and reveal things to come, and things occult; which they cannot do by any art, and which cannot be known to them, but by the help of the Devils. The like doth appear in those, monstrous and strange things, which those that make their addresses to these Magicians, do see, feel, and hear. For these things cannot be by any art effected, but proceed merely from the power and efficacy of the Daemons.  
As to the ecstasies of Witches, during which they really think themselves to be carried to their Sabbaths (or meetings) and there to see, feel, and do many strange and monstrous things; although their transport was not real and corporeal, but only an imagined one: (to which many Relations of the Reality of them, and which also are verified, are directly contrary) they nevertheless are highly guilty; because such Ecstasies, and all those things they think they do and see at that time, proceeding from the Devil, with whom they have made a Contract, cannot have their Rise from any Physical and ordinary cause; since that Natural Causes do not operate at man's will and pleasure. For those Ecstasies come to them when they lift, and do not at all happen, unless they have a mind to it.  
Finally, there are some, who pretend, that whatsoever wonders are spoken of Witches, Diviners, Magicians, and possessed persons, do or may proceed from Natural Causes. And there are subtle men, and great Philosophers, which have employed all their parts and abilities to demonstrate this; and to this end do instance in several wonderful effects, which proceed merely from Physical Causes.  
It is very true, that in Natural bodies there are wonderful qualities, and proprieties, both manifest and occult; which produce Effects to the amazement of those that are ignorant of their Causes. And those, that have diligently enquired into the secrets of Nature, have written something of Natural Magic, where they muster many examples of such strange effects and proprieties; but all that they have writ comes nothing near to that, which the Witches, Magicians and Diviners do bring to pass, and in this we must acknowledge, that those people have another guess Master then these; viz, The Devil himself. For such people, (being all, or most of them, Rude, Illiterate, and unexperienced men) cannot have learned of themselves to do these wonderful things by any acquired Knowledge of the Virtues and Proprieties of Natural things, of which they cannot discourse; nor render any pertinent Reason. Which doth evidently show, that what they do is not by any profound Knowledge, that they have of the occult virtues of Natural things, but that all these things proceed from the ministry and help of the Devil: who doth not teach them these Virtues of Natural things neither, but only employ them as persons, with whom he hath made a Contract, to the end they may practise such wicked things, the causes of which they knew not at all.  
All Natural Bodies are so composed, that they have qualities and proprieties, by which they do act, one on the other, or do mutually suffer some alterations, the one by the other; whence the natural Sympathies and Antipathies do arise. From these virtues and proprieties proceed all the alterations and changes transmutations and effects, which are seen in nature: And if one could exactly know all these virtues and qualities, and should apply them exactly agentia patientibus, he would doubtless produce very strange Effects, and wonderful to those, that should be ignorant of their Causes. All which the Devils knowing exactly, and being able to do these things, they (I say) having an (almost-perfect) knowledge of Nature, and of the Qualities, Virtues, Proprieties of natural things, and applying them fitly by their activity and motion, which is not at all perceptible to us; it is no wonder, if they do, by the hands of Witches, Diviners, and Magicians, so many strange things, which make men to wonder at them, even to an amazement.  
It is commonly held, and, it may be, not without reason; That all the operation of Daemons doth consist in their local motion. By which, First, they are carried from place to place, though never so far distant, almost in a moment, or imperceptible space of time: Secondly, they move, and transport Physical bodies, though never so great, or heavy, with an incredible strength: Thirdly, They mix and compound divers bodies together by their strength and power: Fourthly, they mix, and, as it were, incorporate themselves in those bodies, and thereby make them to act as they please: Fifthly, they stupefy, diminish, strengthen, augment, and animate, the virtues and proprieties of all things. For, they knowing all the virtues, and Proprieties of all bodies, & being able, through their activity and local motion, to apply quodlibet agens cuilibet patienti, they easily do all those things, which are reported of the Diviners, Wizards, and Magicians. And in this sense we may say, that all these things are done by Natural Causes; because (as it hath been said before) they are done by the application of Natural Causes: but this application of Causes Natural is not, nor cannot be done by the Magicians and Diviners without the help of Devils. First, because the said persons, being commonly rude, illiterate, and ignorant men, they cannot have any knowledge of these Natural things: and Secondly, though they had an hundred times more knowledge and experience, than indeed they have, yet it should not be sufficient to produce those Effects. And again, had they such a knowledge, yet could not they apply agentia patientibus, with that promptness and ability, which is requisite in the production of those Effects. So that we may conclude, that it is necessary that the Daemons should have some influence in the production of these Effects.  
For example, By what Natural Cause can a Diviner know those things which are hidden, and the which he reveals, and which have been done in a time, and place utterly unknown to any, but the Authors of those actions, as the revealing of Murders, Poisonings, Adulteries, Rapes, Thefts, & c? and by what natural cause could the two horsemen, in the shape of Castor and Pollux, bring tidings to the Romans, in their public place, of the Victory their Consul had gained in Macedonia but a few hours before? And by what natural means can a footman go in few hours four or five hundred miles, which the best Posts can scarce do in many days? and a thousand like wonderful effects? So then, it appears (from that we have shown, that they are Witches, and Magicians, which do these things) that they are Devils, which are the true causes of these effects, and whose Instruments the Witches are.  
Now, if there are evil spirits, there is no reason to deny, that there are good ones too. For good doth precede the evil; evil being nothing, but the corruption of goodness. Whence it necessarily follows, that these evil spirits were good at first; but that they have corrupted themselves afterwards. And, if there are good and evil Angels, we must conclude, that there is a Deity above them, from which they have had their being, and which doth conduct the one, and restrain the other. For, were it not so, that incessant jarring, and contrariety, which would be among them, would necessarily cause the ruin and subversion of all the World, and of all the bodies, over which they have so much power. Again, what reason is there to deny there is a Deity, if it is once granted, that there are good and bad Angels, which are spiritual, immaterial, invisible, immortal, powerful, and intelligent substances? For above these there is nought, but the Deity; of whose Nature they do very much participate, and which doth excel them only, in that it is Infinite, Immense, and Eternal.  
Again, if there are evil Spirits, or Devils, there is an Hell, where they are placed, which is their prison, and the prison of those wicked and abominable ones, which do follow, and imitate them in their wickedness. And, if there are good Angels, there is a Paradise for their Mansion, and for the dwelling of those good and virtuous persons, which are like unto them: and above all a God, a righteous Judge, which avengeth the one, and rewardeth the other.   

CHAP. XII. The ninth Argument, drawn from the Universal Consent of the World, That there is a Deity.  
THe second kind of Reasoning against the Atheists is from Authority, or Record: which is twofold, Divine or Humane. I call that Divine Testimony, which is drawn from the holy Writ: I call that Humane, but yet unquestionable, Testimony, the Consent of all the men in the world; all of which do naturally acknowledge, that there is a Deity and Providence. And here we must take notice, First, that the most ancient Philosophers, and the most eminent and illustrious persons in Learning and Virtue, of whom any mention is made in History, have acknowledged a Divine Providence, which seethe, knoweth, and rules all things, rewards the one, and punisheth the other. Secondly, all the People, and Nations of the Earth, which are; or ever have been, have acknowledged this same truth? Which is evident, because there was never any, that hath not professed some Religion, or instead of it an open and manifest communion, and a familiar conversation with evil spirits; as these savage and brutish Nations have, viz. the Toupinambous, Margajas, Caribes, Cannibales, Patagons, and the like, and those Septentrional Nations, which are nearer to our Arctic Pole, in Europe, Asia, and the New world, as it appears by the Relations of them, which at this day are common and vulgar.  
Now we have proved heretofore, that, if there are Devils, there is a Deity; and consequently those Nations, acknowledging that there are Daemons, by that commerce which they have with them, do also tacitly acknowledge, and are forced to grant, that there is a Deity. Every Religion also doth imply, that there is a Deity: For it is wholly employed in the service and adoration of it, and to make it propitious, and merciful to men, and to obtain from it, either the fruition of those things that are desired, or an immunity from those evils that are feared, or suffered either in this life, or in the other: and this is done either by Prayers, Invocations, Acknowledgements, Thanksgivings; or by Sacrifices, and other Ceremonies. This is the end of all Religions.  
Since therefore, that there hath been no People, or Nation, whether civilised, (as in old time, the Heathen Romans, and Grecians, the Chaldaeans, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians, Syrians, Phaenicians, Aegrptians) or barbarous, (as the Scythians, Africans, and infinite others) that hath not had, and professed some Religion; it's evident, that all have with one consent acknowledged a Divine Providence.  
As to the strength and validity of this Argument, it is (as hath been said) not to be doubted of, especially, if it may be shown, that there is no just Cause or Reason to doubt of this Testimony. Let's then see, whether any may justly doubt of it. One may be induced to believe a false opinion three manner of ways:  
First, By affection, and desire, that we have it should be so.  
Secondly, By Authority.  
Thirdly, By specious and deceiving Arguments. But none of these ways can agree with that, which is now in question.  
As to the first, There is such a Connexion between the Intellect and the Will, that as the Will always follows the Dictates of the Understanding, so it doth desire that which the Intellect judges to be good. So also we easily persuade ourselves that, which we desire with Passion: man being inclined by this desire to seek all the Reasons that may be to persuade himself of the truth and goodness of that which he desireth, and giving weight unto them by this strong and vehement affection.  
But here it cannot be said, that men persuade themselves that there is a God, because they do desire it; but contrariwise the most part of men would, that there were none, because they fear him as a Judge. There is therefore much more Reason to suspect, that the opinion of the Atheists is false, and justly to object against them, that they persuade themselves there is none, because they so ardently wish that it were so; and that this their so vehement desire makes them to receive the most weak Reasons for good and solid demonstrations.  
As to Authority, one sometimes may believe a thing upon the mere Respect, that he hath to the persons that say it, and that, either because such persons are sufficient and able, and that he believes them to be so, or because of that eminent power and Authority in which they are, which hath only place in those things, which one cares not much whether they be true or not, and where he sees no Reasons to the contrary.  
It cannot be said, that men have been induced to believe a Deity and Providence by the bare Authority and Respect that some persons had, which had no ground or Reason for what they said For who is he, that hathso universally been known to be of such Sufficiency, Knowledge, and Ability, as to persuade men, only by the bare Respect they had of him, to believe a thing so great, and that doth so much concern them? For, besides that Aristotle, or Plato, who is acknowledged to have been the greatest and learnedst Philosopher that ever was, is not so much as known by name to the thousandst part of the World, it is certain, that none that believes there is a Deity will confess, that he believes it, because such a one said it; but only because he hath an inward persuasion of this Truth by some Reasons, which he knows and understands well himself; although very often times he cannot express them.  
And as for Eminency and Dignity, there was never yet any, that hath ruled over all the World, and who might have had the power to command or persuade men to believe a Deity. Besides, that the Belief, which proceeds this way, aught to be of things, which we care not much, whether they be true or not; which cannot be said of the Deity and Providence, there being nothing more important, or that doth more highly concern men.  
But perhaps it may be objected, That this opinion hath spread itself by Tradition from Fathers to Children, etc. and so is come to us. Now it's very true, that the first man, Adam, hath taught this truth to his Children, and they to theirs, etc. and by these means this Truth hath been believed over all the World.  
But first, although he hath so taught his posterity, we may not therefore conclude, that all have believed him: for there have always been wicked ones, that have not cared for their Father's admonitions, and those also have not taken pains to make their Children to believe it; so that this pretended Tradition hath been in many places interrupted, and neglected. So that we must confess, that this universal belief of a Deity hath another cause then Tradition, or mere Institution. Add to it, that this thing is of too much concernment to be believed upon the bare word of our Fathers: which indeed may give an occasion to seek after this truth, and incline our minds to believe it; but cannot be the only true ground of so firmly-inherent a belief.  
Secondly, As to those, against whom we dispute, which hold the Eternity of the world; how can they, (keeping still to this proposition, viz, That the world is Eternal) Object, That this opinion hath its Rise from mere Tradition. For I will ask them, Whether they think that this Opinion is Eternal, as well as the world? or whether it hath had some beginning again? If this opinion is Eternal, I will ask, Whether it was generally received among all men, or received of some only? If they say, That it hath always been Universal, it follows, that it is natural, and therefore a true opinion, and theirs consequently false. If this Opinion hath not been Universal, but yet was from all Eternity received among some, it follows that it is at least as true an opinion as theirs is; since it hath had followers, and hath been received from all Eternity as well as theirs.  
But these two Opinions being contrary one to another, they cannot both be equally true, nor consequently equally Eternal: and so necessarily the one is true, and the other false; the one Prior, the other Posterior: truth being always before falsehood, which is a disguising of Truth and an aberration from it.  
Here then will they say, that their Opinion is the first, and Eternal, the other having followed long time after. If this is true, than it follows, that all men Universally, in an infinite number of Ages, have constantly held this opinion, That there is no God: how then is it come into the minds of men to hold the contrary to that, which they had always held and believed? And how could any one imagine that he could persuade this to any one? Yea, how is it possible, that men should now hold a contrary opinion, but that they have acknowledged by strong Reasons, that the other opinion was false?  
So then we cannot conclude, neither according to their Hypothesis, nor according to ours, that this universal belief of the Deity is a mere Tradition and proceeds from Institution; but it must necessarily be concluded, that it proceeds from that men have unanswerable Arguments for it, upon which both it and its evidence is grounded.  
But the Atheists would willingly reply, that those arguments are but captious and weak, & have no solidity in them. But there is no reason to think so. For, how is it possible, that a mere Phantasm or shadow, without any real solidity, should have deceived all the men in the whole world: and that so constantly, since so many ages; that there hath been none found among so many men, that hath demonstrated as yet the pretended vanity and weakness of these Arguments?  
Is it possible, that none hath been found among so many wonderfully-learned men, of which History makes mention; that hath evidenced the pretended falsehood of this opinion, and demonstrated how weak and vain those Arguments are, on which this our opinion is grounded; and by these means free the World from the checks and terrors, which the conscience of their crimes causes in them, when they consider and perceive that there is a Divine Providence? This doubtless would have found place enough in the belief of men.  
But, it may be, it will be said, that Epicurus, and his followers, and some others afore him, have done this, teaching Atheism, and the Reasons that may persuade to it.  
Now, those Persons have indeed had wit enough, and very good Reasons, to jeer at all the vain superstitions, foolish and extravagant opinions of the Religion of the Heathen, at the impertinent and fabulous Stories, that they made of their Gods, of the multitude of them, and at the false imagination they had of the state of the dead in Hell, or in the Elysian fields.  
But it will not be found, nor confessed, that they have strong and solid Reasons, to prove, that there is no Providence. And those profane ones of our days, who think they have refined Atheism to the height, will be found as short in their Arguments, if they are examined by the rules of right Reason: and it will be found, that the Reason, why they are estecmed and counted excellent Wits, is not so much because of the strength of their Arguments, as because nothing is either too hot or too cold for them, and that there is no absurdity, though it be never so great, which they do not easily swallow, like to the strong stomaches of Ostriches, which do digest any thing that is given them.  
And here we should enter upon the examination of their pretended Reasons, and compare theirs and ours, which we have brought against them; that there might be a Judgement given, which are the most solid and firm: but this would engage us to another Treatise, whereupon we have not now a design to enter; but will examine some of them towards the end of this book. That, which hath been said hitherto against them, being well weighed and considered, will be found so agreeable to right Reason, that, if their opinion is true, they must dispute otherwise then by Reason, and must be far above it, and so consequently must be much more than men.  
But, albeit their Reasons were of equal weight with ours, (which is not so) yet have we much advantage on our side.  
1. Because, besides these Reasons, we have this universal consent, which they have not.  
2. Because, though there were no God, yet there is no danger, and little or no loss to believe and serve one: but, if there is one, the Atheists, for not believing and serving him, are in great danger to have Hell for their portion.  
One thing may be objected against this Universal Consent of all Nations, viz. That there are errors and false opinions, which yet nevertheless have been believed, and received by most, or all the Nations of the Earth: as for example; Idolatry, Multiplicity of the Gods of the Heathen, and in the most civilised Nations, and People, (as among the Grecians and Romans,) Whoredom, and the sin against Nature, have scarce been accounted vices; & there have been whole Nations, and People, where Robbery, and Theft, especially if it was committed upon those of another Nation, was not looked upon as crime or sin.  
But, The answer to this is not difficult:  
For First, these errors, though very general, have not been so constant and universal, as the belief of a Deity. For Christianism hath abolished the Paganism in a very considerable part of the World, and was once more universal than it is now. And the Mahometan, Jenish and Christian Religions, all of which hold, there is one only God, compared with the rest of the World, which yet remains plunged in Heathenish Idolatry, do almost, or, it may be, altogether comprehend the half of those men, which are upon the face of the Earth. Now, the opinion of one only God, so as the Christians, Mahometans, and Jews do hold, it is far more contrary to Atheism, than the Pagan Idolatry. How is it then, if Atheistical opinions be true, that the opinion of the Jews, Christians, and Mahometans, hath so much prevailed over that of the Heathen, which comes much nearer to Atheism? Especially, since the Christian Religion, which hath preceded that of the Mahometans, was propagated only by the patience and sufferings of the Professors of it, which every where have been exposed and abandoned to the rage, fury, and persecution of the Heathen.  
The Heathenish Idolatry, and Superstition, is an opinion much more suitable to our carnal sense, and which corrupted man doth love, and cherish much more, than the apprehension, which the Christians and Mahometans have of one God. Therefore (as we have noted heretofore) its no wonder, that this error had spread itself very much: since we persuade ourselves very willingly and easily of those things, which we earnestly desire, and wish for. But this same flesh is wholly repugnant to the belief of a Deity, that judgeth and Governeth the World, and renders to every man according to what he had done. How comes it then to pass, that the opinion, which we have of one only God, hath prevailed against the Heathenish Idolatry and Superstition, and doth yet maintain itself against so many Atheists as are at this day: since that we arm and defend ourselves, as much as we can, against those things, which we fear and dread?  
Thirdly, The Heathenish Idolatry, and Superstition, is an alteration and corruption of the opinion of a Deity, and doth necessarily presuppose it, as its ground, and basis. And this alteration (as I said just now) is wonderfully more accommodated to our fleshly and sensual corruptions, than the belief of an only God. It is therefore no wonder, if the opinion of a Deity, being so universally received, and so deeply rooted in the heart of man, the Heathenish Idolatry, and Superstition (which pleaseth the flesh) hath spread itself also so much as it hath. But the opinion of a Deity is not a corruption, or alteration of Atheism. It is quite contrary. And this belief of a Deity doth not please the flesh, as Atheism doth. Therefore the belief of a Deity could not have so universally won the spirits of men, but by its own proper strength and virtue, which consisteth in Truth, which is stronger than all things. And it's much to be wondered at, (and the Atheists, will never give a pertinent Reason of it) why, if Atheism be true, it hath not been so universally received, as its contrary; but contrariwise, and almost every where, even among the Heathen, it hath been abhorred, and detested of all. As to those other enormities, of Whoredom, Thefts, and the sin against Nature, and the like; besides, that the most honest persons, in every Nation, have acknowledged in these actions a great deal of filthiness, and injustice, when they have spoken of them in good earnest (though the corrupted and base pleasures of the flesh, and the depraved sense of their lusts, had so blinded their understanding, that they let themselves lose to all these vices, without any great remorse) it is not of these errors, as of the belief of a Deity: for these vices please, and entice sensuality, and therefore men are easily persuaded to them; but the belief of a Deity is wholly repugnant to sensuality, which would persuade itself the contrary if it could: and nevertheless this opinion hath forced men's understandings to assent to it; which could not be done, but by the mere strength of truth itself.  
From what hath been said before, it is plain and evident, that this so universal, and constant consent of all men, (who hold, and believe, even in spite of themselves, that there is a God, and a Providence) is an indubitable Argument of this truth, and an evidence of the deprivation of man, by which he is fallen from his first Nature, and Principles, by which he was joined and united to God; unto whom he was conformable in Truth, Justice, and Holiness, as one created to his own Image: and from which he is now separated, and alienated, through his Injustice, Pollution, and Perverseness, which doth incline him to deny this Providence, which he feareth as his Judg.  
And in this Infidelity of Man, God would not leave himself without a Witness; but hath lively engraved, and imprinted himself in his Works: so that man, maugre himself, is forced in those things to acknowledge this Deity.  
And this is to convince man of his error, and to make good the Justice of his proceed, and the righteousness of his Judgements against their impiety.  
And, from what hath been said, appears the strength of this Testimony, against which nothing, which is considerable, can be objected: as being a Testimony, not only Humane, or proceeding from the fancy, or will of man; but in effect a Divine one, as being the mere motion of Nature, and the dictate of Reason, and wherein this Proverb is verified; Vox Populi, Vox Dei.  
But let us pass from this Humane Testimony to that which is directly Divine.   

CHAP. XIII. The last Argument, Drawn from the Testimony of the Holy Scriptures; the Divinity of which is proved against the Atheists.  
ABove all these Proofs and Reasons, which have been brought heretofore against Atheism, is that, which is drawn from the Testimony of the Holy Scriptures, contained in the Books of the Old and New Testaments; which teach and inculcate to us nothing else, than an only true God, maker of Heaven and Earth, what he is, his Virtues, his Perfections, his Proprieties and Attributes, his Works, as well of the Creation of the World, and his Governing of it, as also those of man's Redemption, his Counsels, Designs, the Decrees of his Will concerning Humane kind, the Salvation of the one, the Condemnation of the others; also the Honour, Respect, Service, and Adoration, which we are bound to pay unto him, and which he doth also require of us, what we ought to fear, or to expect, and hope from him: in sum the true and only means to be perfectly and eternally happy; which is that which all men do naturally desire, and wish for, and at which all their actions do aim.  
So that, if these Sacred Books are true, and not forged, and invented by the Artifice or malice of wily and deceitful men, it's evident and not to be doubted, that there is a God, and that he is such an one as is there described to us.  
To which the Atheists reply nothing, but this. Who, say they, will warrant us, that what those Writers say is true, and that their design hath not been to impose upon our beliefs, and deceive us? Moses, say they, says very much, but proves nothing; intimating that he is a Tale-teller; and that he will be believed upon his bare word. And one of them hath said, That our Lord Jesus Christ, to give the more weight to his Doctrine, hath called himself (but falsely) the Son of God, yea God himself. Those persons imagine, and will have the World believe, that these Divine writers are such as Numa Pompilius, who did attribute his Books and Laws to the Deity of the Nymph Aegeria, with whom he pretended to have familiar Conversation; or as Mahcmeth, who saith, that he received his Alcoran from the Angel Gabriel.  
It's not my design to proceed very far in this point & to prove at large against such persons the Divinity of the Holy Scriptures. 'Tis too large a subject for the narrow bounds of this small treatrse, besides, it would be Actum agere, since that all those of the Holy Fathers of the Church; or Learned Divines, which have lived since these 200 years, which have demonstrated the truth of Christian Religion against the Heathenish, and other Sects which have been raised since, have ever begun this way; this being the very Basis, Hinge, and Foundation of true Religion, which is, (whether on purpose, or not I know not) basely betrayed to the Atheists, by those; who pretend that the Scripture hath no authority over us, but only as those, who call themselves the Church, give it that power and validity. For, setting aside the Scripture, these persons, who call themselves the Church, cannot demonstrate their pretended infallibility, nor prove, and persuade the world, that they ought to be believed upon their bare word whatever they say: as the Divinity of the Scriptures may be demonstrated to profane persons upon their own Authority, and by themselves.  
I will only, for the ending of this small Treatise, bring some general Considerations, by which one may see the foolishness and vanity of this frivolous exception of the Atheists, and of their false accusations, in saying that the Holy Scripture is nothing but a dream and invention of men, without certain ground of Truth.  
There are then 4 principal things, which show the impertinency of this exception. 1. The quality and condition. 2. The number and diversity. 3. The Scope & end of these Sacred Writers. And finally, The Nature and quality of the things they writ. These things being well considered, it will appear, that those things, which those men have writ, are not Tales and Deceits, and things, which they have feigned to make the world believe them. I will speak of these four things very briefly, leaving those things for any man to amplify upon.  
As to the first, Those that make it their business to deceive, and make Fables and Forgeries, are, for the most part, subtle, cunning, wary, and knavish persons, and withal, of a low, or mean Condition: But great and high spirits, magnanimous and Heroical Souls, Kings, great Princes, and Monarches, Persons of rare and exquisite Learning, and of sublime wisdom, never stoop to so low and unworthy an employment, as that of Jugglers & deceivers. And those, that are rude, ignorant, & illiterate, and of too low and abject condition, are not fit or able to invent such things, and to give so much colour to their forgeries, as to make them to be believed and received for currant. Now among the Sacred writers there are some of these two sorts. There are Kings and Princes, great Captains and Conquerors, and emment Persons in Dignity and Authority, in Learning and incomparable Wisdom.  
You have there a Joshuah, one of the greatest and most eminent Captains and Conquerors that ever was. You have there David, one of the bravest, most generous, and glorious Kings; and most eminent for his Valour, Battles, Feats of Arms, and Victories, that ever was seen. You have there Solomon, the most Rich, Magnificent, Illustrious, and Wisest King that ever was in the World. You have Daniel, the first and chiefest Officer in the Court of the greatest Monarchy in the World; in whom there was found more of true, high, and sublime Wisdom, then in all those Wise men of that Nation, and Monarchy, in which he was an Officer. You have Mordecai, and Nehemiah, great and mighty Persons, and of the chiefest in the Court of the Kings of Persia, which relate unto us their own History. You have Job, a great, rich, and mighty Person in his time; yet greater in in Goodness, Patience, and incomparable Fortitude: who relates to us his own History, and those incomparable Discourses held between him and his Friends, upon the occasion of his Afflictions. Briefly, you have Moses, the most ancient of all these Writers, bred in the King of Egypt's Court, learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians: who were accounted for their Wisdom above all the other Nations of the Earth; but since, you have him endowed and filled with an higher and more admirable Wisdom, which appears every where in his Writings: Who being compared with the greatest, wisest, and most renowned Legislatours of the Heathen, they are less than Children to him, albeit they have learned in his School what they have best and more glorious.  
Can persons of this Nature and Temper, of that Quality and Condition, of so great and eminent Courage, so noble and so glorious, so wise and prudent; can they (I say) debase themselves so much, as to busy themselves in writing Forgeries? Or, is it probable; that they would follow, and confirm, and entertain other men's Impostures? Have Caesar and Alexander, Scipio and Cato, Aristotle and Plato, and other like Persons, eminent for Learning, Wisdom, Virtue, Greatness, Riches, and Worldly Power amongst the Heathens, employed themselves in this vile Trade of imposing on men's beliefs, and writing of Tales?  
On the other side, you have among the Authors and Penmen of the New Testament, our Lord Jesut Christ, the first of all, and from whom all the rest have learned, who (unless he were in effect that, which he himself says to be, viz. The Son of God) was but the Son of a poor, and of a very mean woman, of the lowest rank of the people. His Disciples and Apostles were, mostof them, poor Fishermen; simple, rude, illiterate, and ignorant persons, (as such kind of people use to be, and as it appears by their own History in the Gospel) before they were endowed with that Wisdom from above, which came from Heaven. Are such kind of persons fit to seduce and deceive all the World by their pretended Impostures, and that in spite of the most strong and violent Resistance, that all the powers of the Earth have made against it, by the most bloody and horrible Persecutions, and by the Learning and subtlety of the greatest Philosophers, who have hindered the Propagation of Christian Religion as much, as they possibly could?  
What great Cunning and Subtlety, what strong Reasons and powerful Persuasions, could proceed from Spirits so dejected, from so vile and abject persons, from men so much despised? And how have they been able to overreach, and abuse all the World, and to captivate all Imaginations of men of whatsoever Age, Sex, Quality, and Condition to the Obedience of Christ? And how could such men beat down and wholly subvert Paganism, which was so deeply rooted in the Hearts of men, and upheld by the Authority of all the Supreme Powers of the Earth? And, more than this, to persuade men to resolve with joy to lose their Goods, Honours, Estates, Esteem, and Reputation; yea, to lose their Life itself; and all that they had dearest here below, yea, even to endure the most Horrible, and Exquisite Torments of the Body, (as we see in the Examples of Martyrs of all Ages, Sexes, and Conditions, of all Nations, and People, in all places through the world, and that for a long time) for maintaining of a Ridiculous and Absurd Story (if we believe the Atheists) upon the hopes of a pretended Imaginary Felicity after this Life; of which Happiness they give no other Caution, than the promises of this pretended Son of a Carpentar?  
How is it possible, that such persons should imagine, that they could persuade, and draw the World to their Opinions, and delude them with their Dreams.  
We must then acknowledge in this the invincible strength of Truth, and the finger and might of God, which hath acted, and stretched forth its self in this so wonderful a work. The quality then, and the condition of these Holy Penmen, doth not argue; that they be Fables contained in their Writings, and that they are Impostors, and Deluders. And so much for the first point, which might be much more enlarged.  
As to the second, Which is the number and diversity of these Writers, it seldom, or never at all, happens, that many men, without any Communication, one with another, do conspire, and agree to maintain, and uphold one and the same falsehood. For the mind of man, through the unlimited Love, that it hath towards itself, is wonderfully various, and doth not agree with the Thoughts, Inventions, and Imaginations of others, every one being willing to flatter himself, and to be thought as good and industrious in his Inventions as another. Whence those Compilers of Romances in our days have all their several Inventions; and there is scarce any, that prosecutes the Invention and Design of another. But the Sacred Writers are many in number, very much different as to time, and place. Since Moses to the Apostles times, there are almost two thousand years: during which space of time, sometimes in one age, sometimes in another, and in divers places, and persons of different degrees, conditions, and qualities, Kings, Princes, Lords, Captains, Courtiers, Doctors, simple and ignorant people, Fishermen, Artists, Publicans, all agree in maintaining, and defending that pretended falsehood, that there is an only God, maker of Heaven and Earth, etc. and give us the History of a small, but most wonderful, and illustrious Nation, (which doth yet subsist, dispersed all over the world with so exact a connexion, since its first beginning, for the space of two thousand years. And these accounts which they give us, are so constant, and uniform, and so agreeable one to the other, that nothing in them is contradictory, or belies the other.  
Now, so admirable, and constant an agreement, in so many heads, and persons so different, and separated by times, ages, places; in so many and so strange things, far above the reach of Humane Reason, cannot be the effect or product of a false and lying Spirit, which commonly betrays himself, and his own inventions and lies. How much more is it impossible, that so many persons should agree so well in these things, if they are Inventions and Fables? Besides, the end and scope of these Scriptures doth plainly evidence the falsehood of this imputation, viz. That these Writers sayings are but Fables.  
Those, that go about to deceive the World, and to promulgate their absurd Dreams and Inventions, do it commonly, or altogether, for one of these ends; either to get honour, pleasure, profit, or riches, for themselves, or for theirs; as are all Jugglers, and cunning fellows: or to make some sport, and to have the name and reputation of eloquent persons, and brave wits; as Jesters, those that compile Romances, and the like pieces. Others, through vanity, and self-conceitedness, that they may get admiration, praise, and esteem from men, do maintain some Paradoxes, and new, strange, and monstrous opinions; as many did among the Heathen Philosophers, and as the Heretics amongst Christians have done, which never intended their inventions, and absurdities to any good end, as the Public good, or the concernment of humane kind, or to induce men to follow virtue, and show them the way to true happiness.  
I believe, that no man in his wits will say, that the Sacred Histories of the Old and New Testament are Romances, invented to delight men, and to gain the Writers the credit of worldly-eloquent persons, and of that politeness of Wit, which is accounted so among men. The stile, and manner of writing these Books, is far different from that of the Romances; and all the circumstances of time, places, and persons, are so punctually observed, and every where so agreeing, that one must be barbarous, and wild, or altogether stupid, and besotted, that doth not perceive the wonderful, and infinite difference there is betwixt these Sacred Histories and the fabulous Romances. Besides, that those, who make Romances, compile them so (if they are able men) as that there is some likelihood in what they relate, and shun (as much as they can) the prodigious Fictions of Amadis. Nevertheless, they clearly evidence, that they do not desire to be believed in those things, which they relate; but that their design is to charm (by the elegancy of the stile, their ingenious inventions, and the likelihood of those things) the eyes of the mind, and to make it see those things, which really are not, and to delight their Readers by this pleasant cheat. But the Penmen of the Sacred Histories do propose them, as things certain, true, and indubitable, and desire that they may be believed for such. Which would be a gross folly in them, and a thing unworthy men of parts; if they were Romances, forged and invented on purpose. Besides, that the stile of these Writings is very mean, and popular, and far from the way of writing of those, whose design it is to abuse, and deceive the World. Neither will it be proved, that the Authors of these Sacred Books have endeavoured to entrap and deceive men by their fictions, and inventions of honours, pleasures, estates, or riches.  
Neither Moses, or Joshua, have endeavoured to leave the conduct of the Jewish Commonwealth to their children. Moses had no need to leave Pharaoh's Court, to enjoy Honour and Riches; since, if he had stayed there, he might have been reputed the Son of the Daughter of Pharach.  
David hath not, by his Writings and Psalms, acquired that glory and power, which he had: but hath got it by his Valour, by the Wars which he made, and the favour, and blessing of God, who hath protected and directed him. What needed he, being a great and mighty King, to busy himself in composing of those Psalms; if they be but mere empty inventions? What humane end could he propose to himself in this.  
Solomon, his son, hath not acquired, nor sought after that Honour, Glory, and Riches, (which he hath possessed in greater measure, than all the rest of the Kings of the Earth, Jin the composition of the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles. He enjoyed all these things, afore he writ any thing of these Books: and, in his Ecclesiastes, he shows plainly enough the little, or no esteem he had of them.  
Have Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezechiel, and the twelve small Prophets, sought by their Writings the goods, honours, and pleasures of this World? They, who have been for this thing hated, derided, persecuted, and put to death: and this not contrary to their design and expectation, and against their will; for they submitted willingly, and have undergone all those evils in obedience to this God, who sent them.  
Did our Lord Jesus Christ, and his Apostles, follow and endeavour after these things? No, but quite contrariwise they do exhort and persuade their Disciples and followers, not to love or seek them: and rather to expect the crosses, tribulations, and persecutions of the World, for the Profession of that Doctrine they taught them.  
Shall we say, that vanity, and desire of glory have led these Persons to this, that they might gain the reputation of men of Parts, and of subtle Persons. Nothing less. Can the Apostles, who were poor fishermen, rude, illiterate, and ignorant persons, aspire to this Glory, and could they expect this credit from the men of their times, or from posterity? Besides, that their Writings are full of the contempt they had, and would every one of their Disciples to have, of such a glory.  
Solomon hath not sought for this by his Writings: afore he writ he had that great Wisdom, which hath gained him the reputation of the most Learned, and Wise of all the men that went before him. And he hath had this credit and reputation; not by holding, or putting forth Paradoxes, and extravagant Opinions, invented by him, against the common Tenants of other men: but by a true and right Wisdom, and an admirable Knowledge, which in effect he had of the Nature of all things. David and Joshua had acquired Glory and Credit enough by their Achievements, without affecting this by their Writings, and maintaining Fantastical Opinions. If Moses would have sought after worldly glory, he would rather have acquired it by the Wisdom of the Egyptians, in which he had been instructed, and which was then in great repute in the World; then by inventing new Opinions, & Doctrines. Daniel had enough of the Learning of the Chaldeans, which he knew well, to gain esteem and reputation amongst men, without broaching a new, unheardof, and strange Doctrine.  
So then, it is evident, that the desire of vainglory hath not induced these Holy Writers to tell us Dreams, and Phantasms of their brain. What then is it? Is it the affection to the Public good, and their desire they had to profit men, that hath moved them to tell us their new inventions, and stories of their own making? Sometimes indeed Fictions are used in Moral and Politic documents. Aesop's Fables are all of this nature. And many times Orators do use such Fictions in their Orations; as that of Menenius Agrippa, of the dissension there was between the belly and the other parts of the body. And the Scripture itself uses these sometimes; as that of the Son of Geaeon, of the Trees that chose themselves a King. Parables also are a kind of instructing, Moral Fiction; as that of Gad to David, of the Poor man and his Sheep. And of such Parables are the Gospel's full; and in the Discourses of our Lord Jesus Christ they are very frequent. But these things have nothing common, nor do not relate to that, of which we treat now. The question is, Whether the Histories of the Old and New Testament are Tales, and Fables; or whether they be Relations of things, that have really and truly came to pass.  
Those, who do write Apologues, Parables, etc. do not write them for true Histories: they show plainly enough, that they speak such things merely to instruct, and not for things, that have really happened. But the Sacred Writers do give us their Histories for the true Narrations of things, which really came to pass.  
And this is evident, because they do note all the crcumstances, and particularities, which are observed in true Histories, and by which we are wont to discern Romances, and Poetical Fictions from true Narrations.  
They would have us to hold, and believe those Narrations for very truths, and things, which have really and certainly happened. To what end should this be if their Narrations are but Dreams? Do those good Writers, that will instruct and profit, use such means? In no wise. And although one would write some Moralised Romance, to instruct men; yet would not he publish it for a true History. Besides, that we have noted before, that these Sacred Histories have none of the stile and garb of Romances.  
And as to the Doctrines, Say, and Sentences, of which the Sacred Books are full, will the Atheists say, that they are Paradoxes, wild and extravagant opinions? If it is so, I will ask them, To what good end could such things have been forged and invented? For we have showed heretofore, that they could not be invented to any ill intent, or pernicious design. If they are mere Inventions, and that there is no reality in them, to what good end can they have been invented?  
Moreover, these Sacred Authors do propose these Doctrines, that men may steadfastly believe them, and that they may be held for undoubted truths; can there be any good or reasonable end in this, if these things are in effect but Extravagancies?  
Will they say, that these Persons, being willing to win men to the exercise of Virtue, Justice, Temperance, Fortitude, Truth, Faithfulness, Friendship, Charity, Patience, Honour, Respect, Obedience, Observation of the Laws of Humane Society, etc. did think that the persuasion (though a false one) of a God, Creator, and Governor of this Universe, Judge, Avenger, and Remuneratour of the good and evil; and that the examples (though but fictitious and false) of Vices and Virtues, which are rewarded, or punished by a Providence, would be a Powerful motive to induce men to attain this end? And that this is it, which hath made them to invent this opinion of a Providence, with all the consequences of it, and to compile all these Stories to Patronise Vices and Virtues? Almost as Horace doth pretend (in that Epistle which gins, Trojani belli Scriptorem, Maxim L●lli,) that Homer, in his Iliad and Odyssea, doth tell us all these fine Tales, and Stories, to serve as Moral documents unto all men. It is very true, that the belief of a God, such as he is represented to us in the Sacred Writings, is the true, and only means, and the most strong and efficacious motive, to induce men to true Virtue, as it appears by the Examples of the Lives of the truely-faithfull under both the Testaments: in comparison of which the most splendid Virtue of the Heathen is but dross and dung; As an exact comparison of them would easily verify. And the first Christian Father's, that have writ against the vanity of the Heathen, shown this evidently; as Tertullian, Minutius Felix, and others. But it is also very true, that, if this persuasion of a Deity and Providence, such as it is represented to us by the Christian Religion, was false and imaginary, it could not produce such an effect, as to induce men to exercise the true Virtue.  
And we may not Object, that an opinion, though false, if it be believed for true and certain, doth produce the same effect, as if it were really true; as many Examples do testify.  
For those false impressions, which the mind receives, do last but for a little while. They deceive only for a small time. It is as paint upon a face, which for a time doth give some lustre; but abideth not. But this belief of a Deity, and Providence, is stable, and as constant, and unalterable, as the Heavens. And it is not a Fiction of the Holy Writers: For those, that never heard of them. or saw their Writings, have had, and yet have, this persuasion; for we have showed heretofore, that all men in all ages were persuaded, there was a Deity, and a Providence.  
There is also too manifest, and palpable a difference, between the Fables and Poetical Fictions of Homer, and the Narrations of Holy Writ. It was not Homer's intention, (if his design was such, as Horace tells us it was, viz. to instruct, and please men by his Fables) that we should take his Fables for Truths: Nor hath he divulged these Fictions for true Histories; but composed only a fine Moralised Romance.  
But (as we have said) the Sacred Writers do tell us their Histories, as certain, and indubitable things. And as to the false Deities of Homer, and to all those things he tells of them, I think, that there is none of the strong Wits at this day dares maintain without blushing, but that, which the Christian Religion doth teach of a God, Creator, Preserver, Judge and Governor of all this Universe; of his Cult and Service; and of the means to attain to true happiness by Jesus Christ alone, is far more agreeable to the Deity, (if there is any) and also more conformable to right Reason, than all the fabulous Tales of the false Gods of Homer; yea, than what he hath best, and more refined concerning the Deity.  
So then, it is unreasonable to say of the Sacred Writers of the Old and New Testament, that they have invented, or got from some others, that preceded them, the things, that they reach us in their Write. All manner of reason is against this. To these I will add some few remarks, which may serve as a Model for any one, who will treat of this matter more at large, as well it may be done.   

CHAP. XIV. Wherein there follow some more Proofs of the Divinity of the Holy Scriptures.  
THose things, which are contained in Scripture, are twofold, viz. Doctrines, and Histories. Neither of these can proceed from man's or Devil's inventions. The Doctrines also are two fold: 1. Dogmata; so properly called, because they are delivered, as the objects of our faith and knowledge: as that there is a God, a Jesus Christ Son of God, Saviour and Redeemer of the World. 2. Moral Doctrines; which are conversant in the regulating of life, and exercise of Virtue.  
These Doctrines, which respect Faith and Knowledge, are so high, so sublime, so excellent, so admirable, so profound and abstruse, especially those Mysteries of the Trinity, Incarnation, and Redemption; that the Soul of man is not at all capable to comprehend them, so as to have invented, or divined such things: and they are so contrary to the humour, nature, and Genius of the Devil; that he could not, nor would not, have thought or invented any such things, much less would he have taught them unto men. And if these things are false, good Angels would not have invented them; such a Fiction, being wholly repugnant to their integrity.  
And as to the Moral Precepts, they contain so exact, perfect, and incomparable a form of holiness (to which all the Virtues of the most noted Heathen Philosophers comes nothing near) that sinful and corrupted man, as he is naturally inclined to evil, could not have invented so perfect a Rule to live by, as that which is showed unto us there. Much less is the Devil Author of cheese things who is so great an enemy to all Virtue and Holiness, that he would not have recommended- or taught it unto men.  
Besides, if Damon's are granted to be, it must be consequently acknowledged, That there is a God; as hath been showed before. Whence it appears that these things proceed necessarily from Divine Revelation.  
As to the Narrations and Histories, they are so tied and connexed unto the Doctrines, that they cannot be separated one from another. So that, if the Histories are true, and no forged things; the Doctrines, which are annexed to them, must needs also be true. For in every part of them you have a God, Creator, and Governor of Heaven and Earth, represented to you, who doth see, conduct, and order all things; a Judge of men, who punisheth and chastiseth the one, and doth reward and recompense the others; who worketh wonders above and beyond all Nature's Power; who styles, and in effect shows himself to be such, as he is there described, viz. Eternal, Infinite, Immortal, Invisible, Incomprehensible, Almighty, Wise, Good, Just, and Merciful etc. We see in the New Testament a man (Jesus Christ, our Lord) styling himself The Son of God, and The Saviour of the World, showing and evidencing by his Miracles, that he was indeed such a one; dying for men's salvation, arising again, ascending into Heaven, and there sitting at the right hand of God his Father, and sending from thence the Holy Spirit upon his Apostles. There he is seen ministered to by Angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed in the World, and by the strength of his Spirit bearing down all Heathenish Idolatry, and Superstition, demolishing the empire of the Devil, and triumphing gloriously over Satan, and over all his Power.  
These Narrations are not Fables artificially invented, as those of Homer, and those of the Old and New Romancès of all sorts; but are true Histories, and genuine Relations of things, which have really and certainly came to pass, so as they are there related to us.  
Which appears, First by the Connexion, and admirable contexture of these Relations, which do strengthen, follow, and maintain one another with so exact and just an agreement, that there is nothing there unjointed, or that doth belly any other matter therein contained. Which in so great a multitude, and variety of Narrations, so well continued with all their Circumstances of Times, Places, and Persons, (and of which we do see many Traces, and Footsteps, in the most authentical and certain Monuments of Antiquity) and so well continued by so many Ages from the Beginning of the World to our Lord Jesus, for the space of four thousand years (add to this the connexion and coherence there is between the Relations and Doctrines of the New Testament with those of the Old) cannot have been compiled, nor so admirably invented by any humane Industry, though such a Writer had been as subtle, and ingenious as it may be; although one man alone (which is not true) had undertaken to write and continue such a design, which he had before invented out of his own brain. Much less could it be, that so many, and so different Writers, as to Time, and Place; some in the Desert, others in Judea, others in Babylon, others in Samaria; (two Kingdoms so contrary, and Enemies one to the other) some Jews, other Christians, (two people so different) in such a wonderful variety of matters, and so differing arguments of their Writings; as are Histories, Laws, Political and Ecclesiastical Ordinances, Moral Precepts, Prophecies of many kinds, Epistles, Discourses, Disputes, of so differing styles, the one low, genuine, and popular; the other figurate, and sublime, (to which all humane Eloquence cannot attain) the one terse and polished, the other harsh and unpleasing: it is (I say) impossible, that so many, and so different heads, which have neither seen, known, nor combined together, should have so well agreed in all points to divulge, and put forth, and give credit to a Fable so well continued, and to suit so wonderfully all the Narrations, Doctrines, and Precepts, which they lay there before us.  
Secondly it appears, That these are not sabulous Narrations and Tales, made to deceive the World; because the Nation of the Jews, the Origin and History of which is held forth to us in the Old Testament, and is continued for the space of two thousand years, and which is almost all the subject matter of all the Books of the Old Testament, and makes a good part of the Books of the New Testament, is, and doth subsist yet at this day scattered upon the face of the Earth, even so, as their own Prophets had foretell them. Their Sanctions, Customs, Ceremonies, and Religion, the very same, as was prescribed to them by their Lawgiver Moses, and by the Prophets. It cannot be denied, that Jesus Christ, and his Apostles, have been, and have Preached in the World; since that their Doctrine and their Writings are received, and held by so many millions of Christians, which have been for these 1600. years upon the Earth, known, and noted among men. But, it may be it will be objected, that the ground and basis of these Histories is true; and hath some reality in it; that there have been a Moses, Joshua, Judges, and Kings of Israel, a David, a Solomon, etc. but that these Histories have been sluffed, and garnished with Fictitious Tales; as Homer's Iliad, and Odyssea: the Foundation of which is Historical, since that once Troy, Priam, Hector, Achilles, had a real being; but they have not done all that Homer tells and writes of them: and as the Romances of Roland and Regnault, who once were, but never did that which the Romances, written of them, tell us. So the Miracles and Wonders of Egypt, of the Desert, of Joshua, of the Judges, of the Kings, of Jesus Christ, and his Apostles, are Ornaments invented by these Writers, to set an higher value on what they present there to us.  
Let us see, whether there is any ground of Reason in this.  
First, Moses writes himself his own History, and that of the people of the Jews, which he had drawn from Egypt, and led through the Desert for the space of forty years, with so incomparable an ingenuity, and so far from suspicion of fraud or deceit; that he notes there his own defects and faults, and doth not bestow the most Honourable charges of this People, the Priesthood, or Royalty, upon any of his Posterity. And, a little before his death, he makes a long Sermon to them (which is all the Book of Deuteronomy) where he represents to them all things, that had befallen them in the Desert, and a little before their going out of Egypt, just in the same manner, as he relates it in the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers.  
Was it then any time, place, and likelihood, that they could be made to believe forged Tales? and could he take them to witness those things, which they never saw, nor knew?  
Will it be said, That he never made this Sermon? That we only suppose it to be so? That he hath not writ these Books? Or, That these Writings, so replenished of Fabulous Stories, have been hid for a long time, and have not been published of a great while after he was dead; when the Memory of those things, which happened at the going out of Egypt, and in the Desert, was past and abolished in this people, which was very glad, and content to receive, and believe these fine Tales, as tending to the Honour of their Nation? Or, else will it be objected, That some body after his death hath framed, and published these Books under his Name.  
First, This is objected, without the least Colour, Appearance, or Ground in Reason.  
Secondly, This is against the Testimony of the most ancient Monuments of History, which father these Books upon none other then Moses, and accuse no body of having compiled them for him. Diodorus Siculus writeth, that Moses gave the Jews their Laws, and that he received them from the God called Jaoh, which is the proper Name of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Thirdly, The Author of those Books doth not flatter that Nation; but represent it to us, as the most perverse and stiffnecked in the World.  
Fourthly, How could these pretended impostures have so universally, in so many Ages, taken so deep a rooting in the spirit of this Nation?  
Fifthly, The best part of their Laws, and Political and Ecclesiastical Constitutions, are grounded, and have their Foundation upon these Narrations, which these men do pretend to be fabulous: These, I say, are wholly built upon them; as the Pass-over, the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jubilee, the year of Release, etc.  
Again, The Tabernacle, so splendid, so ingeniously and artificially erected, so divine and admirable, (by whose Model, and Pattern, Solomon, that glorious and magnificent King, hath afterwards builded his Temple) that stupendious and wonderful piece of workmanship, (to which the most sumptuous Buildings, which the Vanity, Power, and Riches of the most potent Monarches have erected, is nothing comparable) with all its Services, and the Order of its Ceremonies, which is so admirable; where all the Mysteries of Christian Faith, and Religion, are seen portrayed, and, as it were, drawn to the Life: (as we know it by the Relation, which the Sacred Writers of the New Testament do make, and, in their imitation, the Fathers and Doctors of the Church) could this be an Invention and Chimara of Moses' own fancying, or of some body else after him? Can he have divined so many Ages before all that our Lord Jesus Christ should do, teach, and suffer for the Salvation of men, and accordingly erect this Tabernacle with all its Ceremonies, and Appertenances, which were so perfect and accomplished a Model of these things?  
Now, since there is no ground to doubt, that Moses hath invented these things, which he writeth of the Children of Israel's deliverance, of their going out of Egypt, or their going through the Red Sea, of their Adventures through the Desert for the space of forty years; since he relates these things, himself, to a multitude of six hundred thousand men, which could have given him the lie, if he had forged these things: Why should not he be believed in all those things, which he recites to us, in the Histories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and his Children, of the Deluge, of the Tower of Babel, of Sodom, and (to go yet higher) of the Creation of the World? What is in all this more incredible, than the History of the Children of Israel in Egypt, and in the Desert? The same may be said of all that, which is recited to us in the Books of Joshua, of the Judges, and of the Kings: for all this is not more incredible, than this History of Egypt. and of the Desert; and it hath an indissoluble connexion with all the Narrations of Moses. And why shall we esteem them past belief, since they are represented to us, as the Works and Effects of a God, which is Eternal, Infinite, Almighty, All-good, Alwise, Infinitely-exalted above Nature; seeing it is he, who hath given its being to Nature? And that we have showed by so many preceding Arguments, that above this Nature there ought to be such a Deity, the Cause and Rise of it.  
Again, It cannot be denied, but that Moses, and the Prophets, have promised, and foretell, that the Messiah should come: and he came. The Jews expected him; they thinking that his time was come, or near at hand. For to this very day they are forced to confess, that that time is passed by above fifteen hundred years. And when they are urged upon this Confession, they have presently recourse to a pitiful, and impertinent evasion; to wit, that this time hath been prolonged, because of their sins, and that the coming of the Messiah hath been retarded upon this account: although they are not able to show what great sin they have committed, that may have been the cause of this delay, and of so signal a Desolation in their Nation. And the Apostles, and Christians, do evidently prove, that this promised Messiah is come in the time prefixed by their Prophets; and that this is Jesus Christ, whom they have rejected upon no other account, but that they falsely imagined to themselves, that the Messiah was to be a Great and Potent Monarch, who was to free them from the slavery they suffered under the Romans, and give them Domination over all other People of the Earth; An imagination quite contrary to the intention of the Spirit of God, which the Prophets were inspired withal.  
Neither can it be denied, but that Moses, and the Prophets, and Jesus Christ, and his Apostles after them, have foretell the destruction of Jerusalem, and of the Temple by the Romans, and that miserable Dispersion of the Jewish Nation, wherein they have been for so many Ages; their Rejection; their Exclusion from the Covenants of God; and the Vocation of the Gentiles in their stead, and their being brought to the Service of the God of Abrabam, Isaac, and Jacob, who is Creator of Heaven and Earth; with the utter abolishing of all the Heathenish Superftition. All which hath came to pass since these sixteen hundred years, as it was foretell by them: which is an invincible Argument, that these Predictions were not made at adventure; neither can they be any product of Humane Wit, which cannot dive so far into Future Events, nor foretell so certainly and constantly, by so many different person, those wonderful Effects, which so many Ages since have came to pass.  
To these we might add the Miracles of Jesus Christ, and of his Apostles, which the Jews themselves, though they be their sworn enemies, do not deny: although they falsely and foolishly impute them to I know not what imaginary Virtue of the Name of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which they say was discovered by Jesus Christ, and stolen by him out of their Temple; and partly to the Efficacy and Illusion of Daemons, and Magical Arts, of which they say they had knowledge: which is the foolish and ridiculous Exception of these desperate persons, which choose rather to speak all manner of Impertinencies, then to confess the Truth.  
The admirable Virtue and Efficacy of the Doctrine of the Gospel, which, by so weak Instruments as were the Apostles, and their first Successors, notwithstanding all the Contradiction, Opposition, and Persecution of the World, hath been received in the World, and hath abolished all the Heathenish Idolatry, and Superstition; which hath produced so wonderful, and exemplary Righteousness, Uprightness, Integrity, and Holiness of Life in the Primitive Christians; which hath ravished into Admiration their Persecutors themselves; and which hath made men to resolve to lose voluntarily all that is sweet, pleasing, agreeable, and most charming the flesh in this Life, and to suffer all that, which is most harsh, and horrible, for the hope of another Life after this: This Power, I say, and this so wonderful Efficacy of the Christian Doctrine in the Professors of it, is a Proof, and an invincible Argument of the Divinity of it, and that it cannot be a Fiction, or Invention of man's brain. And so consequently, that since this Doctrine is not where else Originally to be found, then in the Writings of the Old and New Teftament, it must needs be, that these first Penmen have received it from God, who hath revealed it to men, to teach and publish it to other men; that it might induce them to that Holiness, Uprightness, and Integrity of Life, to that Patience, and Forbearance, Humility, and incomparable Goodness, which it hath caused in those men, who have received it: and thereby bring them to the fruition of that Eternal Life, and Felicity, which it promiseth.  
And, if it hath not always, and at all times, and most especially at this day, produced these so admirable Effects, in all those that make Profession of it, it is not for any defect, that is in the Doctrine: but it is the fault of those, that make Profession of it, who have not that true Faith and Persuasion, which they profess to have. But nevertheless there will always be found amongst true Christians more Holiness, Justice, Uprightness, Righteousness, and Integrity of Life, more Humility, Patience, Courage, Virtue, and Constancy, more true Piety, and Charity, then in any other Religion in the World, and then can ever be found amongst those, that teach and follow Atheism, which we oppose: whose Profession is quite contrary to this, and hath no other end, then to carry men to all kinds of Vice, Filthiness, Dissolution, and Injustice.  
These Proofs and Arguments of the Divinity of the Holy Scriptures might be enlarged, and amplified, many others might be here added, & great Volumes might be writ on this Subject, and it may be, that some after us will undertake this task: But this sufficeth for our purpose, and it is enough to shut the mouth of the Profane; that is, to reduce them to say nought, but fooleries, and impertinencies, and to show themselves altogether ridiculous, and absurd in disputing against so many invincible Arguments of the Divinity of the Holy Scriptures.  
Now, as to those that call themselves the Church, and who, upon this account, do pretend, that we cannot, nor ought not, to give credit to the Scripture; but because they give it this Testimony, That it is Divine: If they will be believed, they must necessarily do two things.  
First, They must show, that all the foregoing Arguments are invalid, and of no moment, and are in no wise capable to persuade to any man the Divinity of the Scriptures: yea, they must even say, That there is nothing at all in the Scriptures, which is able to make us to discern the Divinity and Truth of them.  
Secondly, They must show, that, as for their part, they have in themselves Reasons, Proofs, and Arguments, much stronger, clearer, and evident, more demonstrative, and , to evince, that they are more Divine and Infallible than the Scriptures: and that therefore they ought rather to be believed in whatsoever they say, than any thing, that is taught in these Books; as being in themselves incomparably more Infallible and Divine, than this Volume of Holy Writ, which is contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament.  
Now I suppose, that they would not undertake to demonstrate these two things: and if they would come to the trial of it, they should find themselves very busy, and their Proofs would be found invalid, their Arguments and Reasonings very weak, yea none at all. For, although they had confuted these Reasons, which we have here mentioned: where will they find any stronger, or more invincible to prove, that they are more Divine, than the Holy Scriptures? For, for them to force men to believe them upon their bare word, without any reason showed why we should believe them, that they are Infallible, it is to deal too injustly, and too unworthily to abuse the patience and credulity of men. And to say, as they do, That we ought to believe them to be Infallible; because our Lord hath said to St. Peter, I prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and, I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; grant even this, (which we deny them) that the sense of these words was such, as they would have it to be; yet it is always to acknowledge by this, that we are persuaded of the Divinity of the Scriptures, where these words are found, before we can ever be certain of the Infallibility of those, to whom they pretend these words are directed. And therefore the belief, which we have of the Divinity of the Scriptures, is not grounded upon the Testimony of those, to whom they would have us believe the Scripture renders, in the forecited words, so clear and solemn testimony of Infallibility. It is therefore an ill-grounded and vain presumption in them to say, That the Scripture can have no more credit with us than Aesop's Fables, or Mahomet's Alcoran, if it were not for the Testimony they give, that it is Divine: since that they themselves draw from it, and from its Testimony (as they do pretend) all the Infallibility they so much boast of.  
But let this be said only by the by, for the maintaining more strongly the Divinity of the Holy Scriptures against the Atheists, which those men, by such an Assertion, do wholly subvert, and thereby expose, at unawares, the Christian Religion to the profane mockings of the Atheists, who will ask these Gentlemen, with reason enough, that they demonstrate to them, by good and solid Reasons, and concluding Arguments, their pretended Infallibility, which ought to oblige all the World to believe the Testimony they render to the Scripture, That it is Divine; and that therefore all, that is therein contained and taught, aught to be certainly believed, as a most firm Truth. And let them, that give them so much credit, as to build their Faith upon their bare word, acknowledge, that this is no better than to bring themselves insensibly to direct Atheism.   

CHAP. XV. Wherein is contained a Confutation of the Atheists Arguments.  
WE must now examine the Reasons of these persons, to see whether they can out-ballance those, which we have alleged against them. And in this we are forced to be brief. For, seeing that we are not (God be thanked) bred in the School of such people, and having no converse with them, and they not putting to light their Arguments in their defence; either for shame, or for fear, or cowardliness; (unworthy that greatness of Wit and Parts, which they boast to have above all men, whom they count in this point worse than children) or rather, because they are conscious of their own weakness: I cannot divine their thoughts, nor what these pretended strong Reasons should be, upon which they ground themselves. And I am forced to mention only three, which some may use in their own defence, and which may come in many men's thoughts.  
The First is taken from the Eternity of the World, which they think must needs have existed from everlasting; because there is not any thing, that can be produced out of Nothing, and cannot (as they think) return into Nothing; according to the saying of some one of their Masters, Ex nihilo nihil, in nihilum nil posse redire.  
The Second, That there are so many Exorbitances in Nature; as the Monsters: so many Disorders in it, so many things of no Use, and against Reason; either in the Constitutions of the Bodies of Plants and Animals, or in the disposition of the World, and of the Earth; as great Rocks in a fair Meadow, or in a fertile Field, or the Rain falling unprofitably upon the Sea, upon the Sands of Lybia, and upon the Rocks; and a thousand like things. So, that it seems, that these things do not proceed from some wise Providence, that hath so disposed of them; but from the Fate and Hazard, that hath ordered them so at an adventure. There are so many Evils, Disasters, Mishaps, which befall those, that do less deserve it; so much Good and Prosperity, which happeneth to those, that do better deserve all manner of supplices; so much Wickedness, which remains unpunished: All which could not come to pass, if the World was guided by a Providence.  
And Finally, That there are in all the Religions of the World so many strange and absurd Opinions and practices, so contrary to right Reason, and to true Wisdom, that we must acknowledge, they are not grounded in the truth. Of all which absurdities the Atheism (as they say) is free.  
As to the First of these Arguments, which is the chiefest they have; If the Deity had a limited power, strength, and power, as the strength and power of Nature is, than they would have reason to say, that there is not any thing, which can be made of Nothing; there being an infinite distance between mere Nothing, and that which Isabella And therefore Naturally Nothing can be produced out of Nothing; and so it is, that in all the productions of Nature there is always some certain matter, which is the Subject of it, and from the power of which all those Forms, which we see to succeed one to the other, are educed. But God, being necessarily Infinite, is it any ways against Reason, (yea, is not it very agreeable to Reason?) that by his Virtue and Power, which is Infinite, and without any limits, he should create out of Nothing Something, that may replenish this Vacuum, or Infinite distance, which is between being Something and Nothing?  
The Effect of a Finite Power ought to be Finite; but that of an Infinite one may, and aught to be Infinite also. Now the Production of the World is extracted out of Nothing, by the Infinite Power of God; I say, that it is an Infinite Effect, not in respect of its Subject, which is Finite; (there being no body which can be actually Infinite) but in regard of its Production, and the means of it, as it is a product from a mere Nothing, which hath no  Cause, or Virtue, there being none such in Nothing; but by an Extrinsecal virtue, which is unlimited; and such necessarily is God.  
For God, being without any beginning or ending, (otherwise he could not be God) it must of necessity follow, that to subsist of himself from all Eternity to all Eternity, by an infinite space of time, (so as we can comprehend Eternity) he hath in himself a Virtue, and Power, altogether Infinite, and unlimited; by which Power he hath been able to Create, and in effect hath Created out of Nothing this World: which although it is very great, and in a manner infinite in respect of us, is nevertheless very small, and less than a point in respect of God: who in respect of the extent of Places, and Spaces, is also Infinite; as he is in respect of Time, and Duration. Not, that there can be attributed to God (to speak properly) any Time, or Place; for in Time and Place there is pars extra partem, and prius & posterius; whereas in the Eternity of God there is no prius & posterius. Neither in his Immensity is there pars extra partem: for he hath no Extension, as Bodies have; for there is no Quantity in God. But because we are corporeal, and do reason by the help of corporeal senses, we do conceive the Eternity and Immensity of God under that, which we call Time and Place; as if Eternity was an Infinite Time, and Immensity a Place and Space Infinite; though Reason in effect doth judge, that there cannot be any Place, or Time actually Infinite.  
God then, being of necessity actually Infinite, and his Power also Infinite, and since the World cannot have existed from all Eternity, as we have heretofore demonstrated, it must needs follow; That it hath been Created by him out of Nothing: and there is no Reason to wonder at this, since his Power is Infinite. So we have laid their stout Achilles down.  
There are some Christian Philosophers, that dare not say, That the World is from all Eternity; because the Scripture doth expressly signify to us its Beginning and Creation: but they hold nevertheless, that the World could have been created by God from all Eternity, if it had pleased him so to do: because an Effect may be of the same standing with its Cause; as the Light is as ancient as the Sun, and the print of ones foot on the sand may be as old as the foot, which stamped it. But the Arguments, by which we have evidenced, That the World is not Eternal, do absolutely convince us of this Truth; and consequently that it was not Created ab aterno.  
And the Reason, Why God cannot have created the World ab aeterno, is, not for any want of Power to do this; but because such an Effect cannot be, nor cannot have had anexistence without a Beginning. And God, being (as he is) Infinitely-wise, will not do that which implies a Contradiction. And it doth not in any ways avail to object, That his Son was generated from everlasting. For the Son of God is a true God, of the same Essence and Nature with his Father, Coeternal, and Infinite as God is, in whom there is no prius & posterius: but the World is finite, and cannot be otherwise then finite; because it is corporeal, and cannot be absolutely eternal.  
And, if it is asked, Why the World hath been Created but five or six thousand years ago, I answer, that it is, Because God would have it so, who knows by his Wisdom the Reasons of it, which it doth not belong to us to seek after, neither ought we to fathom this Abyss. And although it had been Created fifty thousand, yea, five hundred thousand millions of years before; yet hath it had a Beginning. And if this were granted, yet it can no ways further the cause of the Atheists, who would have the World to be without a Beginning, and who prevail not, unless the World is really existent from all Eternity. And we may not question whence proceeded this will in God to Create the World: for it is not any will, which he had in any time. He hath willed and decreed from all Eternity to Create the World then, and in that moment of time, (that we may so say) which seemed good unto him, and when that time is come, he hath executed this his will. When I say, In that point and moment of time, which pleased him; that must be understood in regard of the Eternity, which hath preceded the World; for in Eternity there is not (to speak properly) any points or moments of Time, there being in it no prius & posterius: But this aught to be understood in respect of the Existency of the World, which ought necessarily to have had a Beginning: since it cannot be from all Eternity; as it hath been demonstrated. And it is to no purpose to Object, That if this was so, then there would be some change in God, who should have at that time, and no sooner Created the World. For the World is not in God, but out of him; and is not an Extract or Product of his Essence, but of Nothing; and so the change is not in God, but out of God: because the World, which was not before, hath began to exist in a certain Time which time (as I have said) we ought to consider in the existency of the World, and hath begun with it: for in Eternity there is no Time properly so called. And so much for the first Argument.  
For the Second, We have heretofore showed, That these pretended disorders & exorbitancies, which are seen in Nature, and in Humane actions, and events, do in no wise favour the cause of the Atheists: yea, we have from this drawn an Argument against them, because we must acknowledge in this not a blind Fate, and Fortune; but a wise, and superior Cause, which doth regulate these disorders, and limits them; otherwise all things would return in an horrible and monstrous confusion. And, although we cannot always perceive the reason of this disorder, so wonderfully guided, we may not therefore conclude, That it is not guided. A common Soldier doth not always understand the reason of his General's Orders and Commands; which yet if he should be so bold as to censure, or to accuse his General of insufficiency, he should render himself criminal, and would betray his ignorance: such are these people, who do censure the works of God, and do attribute them to a blind Fate, because they cannot see into the counsels of him, who hath so determined of these things. The Prosperity of the Wicked, and the Afflictions of the Righteous and Good men, was not an Argument even to the Heathen themselves, That all things were guided by a blind Fate and hazard: they themselves in this have acknowledged and demonstrated, That there is a Providence, which doth so dispose of these things. And God in his word doth yet more clearly, evidently, and distinctly, than they, give us the Reasons of his Justice, Wisdom, and Bounty in this his conduct, against which all the Reasonings of the Atheists break themselves, as a Wave against a Rock: and therefore there is no need to enlarge upon this subject; since the best Philosophy, & the evidences of Revelation, teach us in this point, that from this conduct we ought rather to conclude, That there is another life after this, then to deny the Providence, and Deity.  
So now we come to the Third Argument. It is certain, that the absurd and extravagant Opinions of the Heathen, concerning the Multitude and Diversity of their false Gods, the Service they did to them, the Fabulous Stories, which they made of them, and upon which all their Religion was grounded, have given to Epicurus, and some others with him, matter enough of laughter, and to jeer their Impertinencies, to deride their vain Superstitions, and despise all their Religion. Yea, it hath been a stumbling-block to them, and hath given them occasion to become Atheists; being destitute of the Divine Revelation, which affords to us the right knowledge, which we ought to have of the Deity. In which they are not therefore excusable, seeing that they could by the use of right Reason (as well as other Philosophers, wiser than themselves) acknowledge and confess one only God, and that the Cult, which is due to him, aught to have been somewhat else, than the Heathenish Superstitions. And we do not deny, but that in other false Religions, yea, even in the Sects and Heresies which are among Christians, there are very extravagant, and absurd, and wild Opinions and Practices in the matter of Religion: and it may be, that these extravagancies, wild practices and opinions, in these last days of the Christian Church, have given an occasion to Atheism to diffuse itself, and to multiply amongst Christians. And such absurdities do serve to foment, and increase it; as the Author of the Relation of the Religion of the Western World hath very well and judiciously remarked, speaking of the common and ordinary Profaneness of the Italians.  
But to this objection I answer two things. First, That true Christianity hath no such Extravagancies, as can startle those, who make a right use of their Reason. Secondly, That Atheism is incomparably more irrational, and more to be detested then any of those Extravagancies, which they with Reason do reject. There is nothing in the true and pure Christian Religion, which the word of God only hath taught us, which can, or aught to offend any person of good sense and judgement. Only the Mystery of the Trinity, and that of the Incarnation, is indeed above our apprehension, and carnal sense, which cannot comprehend the Quomodo of it; but yet, as both these are simply proposed, and laid open to us, and as we may gather them from the Revelation, which God hath made to us of them in his word, they are such, as that they are not against pure and right Reason, enlightened by this Revelation; though it cannot fathom the depth of them. And what wonder is it, if our Reason, which is short, weak, and blind, even about Natural things, (that the greatest of Philosophers hath compared it to the sight of Owls at midday) cannot reach so far, as perfectly to apprehend, and understand so high a Mystery, which is all that is most sublime in the Divine Nature, which of itself is Spiritual, Immaterial, Infinite, Eternal, Invisible, and Incomprehensible? It is far a greater wonder, if the Opinion of the Atheists is true, who acknowledge neither God, nor Angel, nor Spirit; that so high, so wonderful and sublime a thought, should have entered into the spirit of man, wallowing in the mud, and who cannot, nor ought not, (according to their Opinion) to raise himself above corporeal senses; being (as they think) altogether corporeal and sensual. How comes it to pass, that so wonderful Wisdom, which shineth in all the Dogmes of Christian Religion, and particularly appears in these two Mysteries, which are so wonderfully linked with the rest of the Doctrine; how is it (I say) that this can be the product of such a vile, and low soul, as they would have the soul of man to be; which is (as they think) composed of little Atoms, and Indivisible Bodies, or which is nothing but a little refined Air, which by Death vanisheth into nothing?  
As to Atheism, it is so far from being free from Extravagancies and Absurdities, that it is altogether full of them; as it appears evidently by what we have said before: wherein we have convinced by many Arguments this monstrous Opinion. Against which Arguments nothing but Extravagancies, Absurdities, and Impertinencies, can be excepted.  
What Madness, and Extravagancy, is it to imagine with Epicurus, that this World is framed, and composed, by the fortuitous concourse of Atoms, or small Indivisible Bodies? Or, with some others, to imagine, that it is without any beginning or ending, the same at this day, as it was 600000. millions of years before: which Opinion draws after it all the imaginable Absurdities, and Contradictions, that may be; as it hath been showed before? And what an Impertinency is it, to attribute the Government of this admirable work, and the Conduct of this World, and of the Affairs of all Humane kind, to two blind and opposite Governors, viz. the insensible Fate and the temerary Hazard, & inconsiderate Fortune, in which there is not a whit of Understanding, Prudence, or Knowledge? What Absurdity, & Impertinency, is it to attribute more sense, and understanding, to the most stupid of men, & to the least of all Animals, then to that, which doth move and conduct all this great Fabric? For what is Fate in itself, but a Chimaera, wanting all true existence? And what is the pretended satal order of Nature, but a brutish thing, & sui nescia?  
There are not, to say truth, in the Atheists Profession any of these ridiculous, absurd, impertinent and wild extravagancies, practices, and uses, which the ignorance, temerity, and superstition of men hath introduced in most of the false Religions; but that, which is more wild, & monstrous in them is, that they (as much as in them lies,) abolish and extinguish out of the world, all true Religion and piety, and drown men in impiety, profaneness, & irreligion, which comprehends in it all sorts of imaginable Monstrosities. For what is a man, that hath no sense, knowledge, nor fear, reverence, nor love, nor respect for the Deity, but the most abominable monster, that can be imagined? What honesty, good, what virtue, or civility, can be hoped for, or expected from a man, that thinks, that all the difference there is between good and evil, vice & virtue, is nought else, but an imagination, and depends merely from man's fancy, which would have it so, and not from the most perfect, immutable, & eternal pattern of the Deity, the only model of all perfection, as well moral as Physical? Is not it evident, that this Maxim, and opinion of the Atheists leads men directly to all kind of vice, pollution, evil, and Injustice, to which their concupiscence, & the pleasure of their carnal sense, may carry them, without any remorse of conscience, or fear of any other punishment, then that which may be inflicted on them by men; which if any one of them shall hope, or think, to escape, he will let himself lose to whatsoever his sense shall dictate to him? For, according to their Principles, Reason, which dictates this to be good, and that to be evil, (setting aside the consideration of the Deity, which is the pattern of Good) is nothing else according to their opinion, but a mere fantasy, which may be changed, and which obligeth none, but to what they please to do. And doth not this lead directly to the overthrowing of all humane society, and to the subversion of all estates, bodies, & commonalties in the whole world & so to the confusion and ruin of all humane kind, and to the most horrible Chaos, that ever was feigned or imagined?  
That God, who is Gracious and Just, who resideth in the highest Heaven, grant in his great Compassions, that those, who fear and reverence him, may be kept from this abominable precipice. Let him open the eyes of those, who are led blindfold by their sensuality, and the vanity of their corrupted Reason in this dangerous Abyss, that they may see, and know, how terrible this Precipice is. Let him give Repentance & Acknowledgement of their error to the one, and Wisdom to the other, that so they may never fall into it; and to overy one the right knowledge, fear, and reverence of his Holy Name, that he may be praised, served, and glorified by all, as Honour, Fear, and Reverence, is most due unto him by all men eternally. Amen.  
FINIS.