THAT the World was not void of Atheists in King David's time, may be ga­thered from his Words in Psalm xiv. 1. The Fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. But it is exceed­ingly to be lamented, that the num­ber of them is much increased since, yea, that it is the Unhappiness of this Present Age, to be pester'd [Page 2] with not a few of them. Notwith­standing those cogent and inconte­stable Arguments for a Deity which are suggested from the Holy Scri­ptures, and the Natural Reasonings of sober Minds, there is still an Atheistical Spirit prevailing in the World. There is a sort of Men (if I may call them so whole bold Infidelity is so Irrational and Bru­tish) that reckon the Notion of a God to be a Melancholick Conceit, and the mere Effect of Credulity and Ignorance. Yea, there are some that pass for Wits, who strive for the honour of being accounted the most Able Atheists of the Age.

Wherefore, instead of rehearsing or urging those Topicks which are wont to be produced for the Proof of the Divinity; my Business at present shall be, to enquire into the Causes of Atheism, which now vaunts it self with an impudent Fore-head, [Page 3] and begins to boast that it hath got Footing in a great part of the World.

I will search into the Occasions, either real or pretended (for I will mention both) of this Reigning Mischief. I will shew you on what Grounds the Impious do at this Day not only, with the Psalmist's Atheist­ical Fool, say in their Hearts, but open­ly and avowedly proclaim to the World, that there is no God, that is, no Supreme Over-ruling Being of In­finite Perfection, no eternally Wise, Intelligent, and Omniscient Sub­stance that at first gave Existence to all things, and ever since up­holds them, and takes care of them.

I. I assign Ignorance to be one great Spring of this gross Unbelief. As knowing as the World is at this day, there are too many People of inferiour Rank whose Education hath been so unhappy, that they [Page 4] have not been instructed in the Common Principles of Religion; and they are more unhappy in that they will not allow themselves time and leisure to look into their own Minds, and to rouze those inbred Notions which are implanted there by God, and which would (if they would give way) lead them to him. Wherefore it is the Concern of all Persons, to know how to converse with Themselves, and to rifle their own Breasts, that they may find a Deity written there: and besides, they should be careful to acquire such a stock of Knowledge from without, that they may understand their Religion, and not be seduc'd by Atheistical Notions that fly up and down every where.

But this first Cause which I as­sign of Atheism, is not only to be found in some meaner sort of Peo­ple who have not time (as they or­der [Page 5] their Affairs) to think of a God, but in others of a higher Rank and Quality: for by Ignorance I mean a wilful and sottish stifling of na­tural Notions and Impressions: And this sometimes prevails in Men of great Parts and Knowledge.

Think it not strange that I reck­on such Persons in the number of the Ignorant; for (to speak imparti­ally) they are so: and this was the Sense of the ^* wisest Pagans long since. For to have no Knowledge, and to stifle it, is the same thing; which is the Case of these Men: they make it their business to choak the innate Principles of their Minds, and to disregard those Notices which their Natures suggest to them. Thus these Persons are stub­bornly and obstinately Ignorant. Whatever their Pretences and Boa­stings [Page 6] be, their Atheism proceeds from want of Learning and Wit. For 'tis not the part of a Learned and Ingenious Man to destroy the Notions of Mankind, and pull down what hath been built by the universal Suffrage of the World, and in its place to erect a Conceit of his own. Some may take such for Brainish and Scholar-like sort of Men, but then these are so with­out Thinking; for it is the want of this that makes them what they are. Or, to say the best of this kind of Men, and Atheist is but a half-witted Person: He hath perhaps made some Attempts in Science, but to little purpose: He hath attain'd to some slight and trivial Notions; but hath not penetrated into the heart of Things; and thence it comes to pass, that he is full of Doubts and Cavils, which he is able to raise, but he hath not Skill [Page 7] and Ability enough to answer them. Wherefore it was excellently said of my Lord Bacon, ^* A little Philo­sophy inclines mens minds to Atheism; but depth in Philosophy brings mens minds about to Religion and a Deity. Thus though this mis­shapen Monster would be thought to be the genuine issue of True Wisdom and Sound Knowledge, yet it is really the daughter of an Affected Ignorance. Wherefore to secure your selves against Atheism, be careful that you blind not your minds; willingly receive the rays of light into your souls, cherish all sound notions and conceptions, and by all proper methods bring your selves to a right understanding, and steady embracing of all the Funda­mental Principles of your Religion.

II. There is great Disingenuity and unhandsome Dealing in the case, [Page 8] else we should not have so much Atheism. Here I will prove, that they do not act fairly, but that they are Ungenteel, which perhaps will affect these Persons more than any thing that I can say. What they are willing and forward to grant in other matters, and on other occasi­ons, they refuse to grant here, yea they utterly deny it, though there be the same reason for one as the other. This plainly appears by their Objections.

As first, they tell us they have no Sensible Notices of a God, and therefore they can't admit of it; for all the knowledge (say they) which we have of things, is deriv'd to us from Sense. But here we see that these Men are Partial and Dis­ingenuous, for they will not deny that there are many things which they judge not of by Sense; they grant that the swiftness of Motion [Page 9] oftentimes out-runs the nimblest Sense, and the Observation of the quickest eye; yet they do not de­ny the Motion it self: The Element of Air, in which the daily con­verse, is not seen, nor is it heard or felt (unless when 'tis extraordi­narily moved and disturbed, which is but seldom:) nor will they say they taste it; and 'tis as certain that they cannot smell it, (for this is only the Vehicle of Smells, but is not it self the object of that sense) and yet these nice Gentlemen do not deny the Existence of the Air. They can by none of their Senses discern the Motion of the Sun, Moon, and Stars (or, as perhaps they think it most proper to say, the Earth), and yet there is not a man of them that denies that they move. It can't be determin'd by Sense, whether the Sun be bigger than it appears to be, and there­fore [Page 10] Epicurus (who was a great Man for Sense) held it was of no greater dimension than it seems to the Eye to be; yea, of no greater heat in it self than it seems to the Feeling to be here on Earth. And the Atheistical Poet, who borrow'd his Notions from him, was of the same mind,

This is certain, that the things that are least discernible act most. The Animal Spirits, which do all the great things in our bodies, are themselves Imperceptible. They are the Insensible and Invisible Parts, as Spirits, Wind, Subtile matter, Ex­halations, which (being agitated) do the chiefest Exploits in Nature. There are Fine Particles and Atoms diffused through all bodies whatso­ever; and these are the cause of [Page 11] Sense and Motion in Animals: by help of these, Minerals, Plants, and all Vegetables, are brought to per­fection. These Invisible Agents effect strange things, and act most wonderfully in the World. The Nutritious Iuyce in the Nerves, if we may credit the famous Glisson, is of mighty use and influence: yet (as he confesses himself) there are no Cavities to be seen to convey it, and none of this Succus is ever dis­cern'd in the dissecting of Animals. Notwithstanding this, some Phy­sicians of the most piercing Judg­ment, have granted (whatever they do now) the real being of it. And in other Instances it might be shew­ed, that Sense is not always made a Judge even in sensible Objects, but we gather the being and operation of them from Reason and Discourse. This the persons whom we are now dealing with do not deny, but even [Page 12] practise it themselves, and are wil­ling to allow of it. Why therefore are they so void of Ingenuity and fair-dealing, as not to admit of the same in the case that is before us? Why do they most irrationally de­ny a God because they do not ap­prehend him by Bodily sense, when­as they judge not of some other things by Sense, nay though they be proper objects of it? This is a plain proof of these mens wilful Prejudice and Partiality, especially if I add, that God is infinitely far­ther removed from our most exalt­ed Apprehensions, than the Sun (of which we spoke before) is from this Earth. This Glorious Sun ^* dwelleth in that light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath see, or can see.

Secondly, they tell us that there are Great Difficulties in conceiving a [Page 13] God, and they are loth to swallow these down: and more especially the notion of a Spirit▪ i. e. a Being that is void of Matter and Body is too hard to be conceiv'd by them, and therefore seeing we hold God to be a Spirit, they can form no concepti­on of him. I will reply to both the parts of this Objection distinct­ly: and first as to the General Ca­vil, That this notion is accompani­ed with Difficulties, I answer, there are great Difficulties in other mat­ters, which yet they leap over with ease, and do not disbelieve the things themselves because of the Difficulties that attend them. It is very hard to explain how a little Wheel of two inches diameter, fix­ed on the same Axil with two great­er Wheels of ten inches a-piece, moving together (the greater ones on the ground, the lesser on a table) should move over the very same [Page 14] space in equal time, with equal ro­tation with the greater ones: and yet the thing it self is not denied by any one. And many other puz­zling Problems might be mention­ed, where the Hardship doth not discourage them from embracing them. But I will instance in one of their own Hypotheses, viz. that of Atoms, which they chuse to solve the Original of the World by, that they may evade the insuperable Diffi­culties (as they think them) of the Acknowledgment of a God. If they say that these Atoms had their Ex­istence from Themselves, then in­stead of denying one God, they as­sert many, for Self-existence is of the very nature and essence of a Dei­ty; wherefore if they were all from themselves, they are all Gods. If they say that other Matter or Atoms were the first Cause of these, then they run to Infinity, and no body [Page 15] is able to trace them. If they say they are of Nothing, then they had as good have begun with that, and have confessed in plain terms, that the World was made out of No­thing, and then they come to us, but they are resolved they will not do that. Thus they are confound­ed as to the Rise and Origine of their Atoms.

Then, as to their Motion, whence had they that? either of themselves or of an other? They could not have it of Themselves, for we see it is not of the nature of Matter to move: it is in it self a dull and in­ert, a lumpish and unactive thing. If this Motion was impress'd on it by an Other, then that was either some other Matter, or Something else. If they hold the former, they run again in infinitum, and he is a di­stracted man that will run after them. If they maintain the latter, [Page 16] they betray their Cause, and acknow­ledge a Spirit, for there is no real and substantial thing besides Mat­ter and Spirit. In brief, whether the former or the latter Assertion be held by them, they do in a man­ner own what they deny: for we will not disagree about the Name, if we can agree on the Thing it self. That Being or Agent which gave the first Motion to things, is God.

If after all they say, that Matter had this Motion by Chance, and so was neither from it self or any other, they talk more absurdly and wildly than before; for Chance is a Word made to signifie only the unexpected happening of a thing, but doth not import that there was no Cause or Author at all of it. But however, if they will stand to this (as generally they do) that Matter at first had a strong power by Chance to jump into an Orderly Sy­stem [Page 17] of Heavens, Earth, Sea, &c. then I ask them, What is the rea­son that there hath been nothing of this nature since? What reason can be given why all the Atoms and Effluviums in the several Ages and Successions of Time, ever since this visible World had its being, have not produced some excellent Frame either like this World, or of an other nature? What! is this Lucky Chance quite ceas'd? Is this Fortu­nate Lottery at an end? Is there no probability of a brave fortuitous hit once again? Is there no such fine piece of work as that of Sun, Moon, and Stars, to be expected once more? No: there is an utter de­spair of it; for from Eternity (ac­cording to them) to this moment, we have had no such good Luck, and therefore what reason have we to expect any such afterwards? yea indeed, what ground have these [Page 18] Chance-Philosophers to think that there ever was any such thing? What reason have they to declare it to be their firm perswasion that Matter was set into motion from Eternity, and that by the frisking of its Particles, it at last danced in­to a World? yet this and all the rest they believe and vouch rather than they will hold that the begin­ning of things was from an Intelli­gent and Wise Being.

It appears hence, that they will say any thing rather than acknow­ledge themselves to be in the wrong: they make nothing of talk­ing idly and impertinently, of run­ning into Banter and Nonsense, as we have heard. They can give credit to this extravagant Fancy, that an everlasting Juncto of Atoms did without Counsel and Know­ledge club together to make the World. They can tamely submit [Page 19] to this unaccountable Maxim, that these infinite Bodies, after eternal Brushings, Agitations, Encounters, Knockings, Tiltings, Justlings, Jumblings, fell by mere Chance in­to this excellent Frame that we now behold. Thus the Atheist, to avoid some seeming Difficulties, runs into those which are really so, yea into the greatest Absurdities imaginable. If it be difficult to conceive the Self-existence and Eter­nity of one God, surely it is insu­perably so, to conceive infinite Mat­ter moving it self, and giving Being to it self from all Eternity. It is plain then, that these men deal not fairly and uprightly, but wilfully deceive themselves and others. They cry up Reason, and yet maintain things which are repugnant to or­dinary Discourse and the Common Dictates of Reason; and therefore are rather to be exploded than with [Page 20] much industry to be confuted. They cannot only swallow down, but digest Absurdities when they think fit, and at other times they can fancy them where there are none, nor any shadow of any.

Then as to that particular Diffi­culty, viz. That the Notion of a Spirit is inconceivable, and there­fore they have no conception of a God; I return this brief Answer, That if this which they say be true, if it be impossible to apprehend the Idea of a Spirit, then there is no such thing: and if so, then Mat­ter alone must do all things in the World, but particularly, it must have Understanding and Knowledge, is must think and reason, for (what­ever the precarious Hypothesis of Atoms suggests) the Curious frame of this World could not be erected without Knowledge and Wisdom, and it cannot be kept up and ma­naged [Page 21] without these. Now, I ap­peal to any considerate man, whe­ther the flat denying of this, and the asserting that the Dimensions of a Body are Intellectual, that to be Long and to be Broad, and to be Deep, are Acts and Exertments of Reason or Will, and (in short) that Extension is Thinking, be not far greater Absurdities than any thing they imagine to be in the notion of a God. It is a sign therefore that these men make Difficulties where there are none, and do not take no­tice of them where they are. I could here prove that our Faculties may form as clear, explicit, and distinct an Idea of a Spirit (which they so much boggle and startle at) as they do of their own Existence, or any other Principle in Nature; but this I have made my task in an other place.

[Page 22]Thirdly, they tell us they can­not believe a Deity, because there are no Proper Demonstrations to prove it. For you must know, that there Persons whom we have to do with at present, are great men for Demonstrations. But I answer, The Existence of many things in the World cannot be made out by De­monstration, strictly so called, and yet no man questions the reality of them. The skilfullest Mathemati­cian under Heaven can't demon­strate that the Sun Shines, and yet there is no doubt at all of it, and he would be counted a Mad-man that denies it. We are morally cer­tain of many things which we can­not possibly demonstrate; but this doth not hinder us from yielding a firm assent to them. And 'tis cer­tain, that an Assent is an firm on Moral grounds as on rigid Demon­strations, when the matter is capa­ble [Page 23] of no other grounds; for the Evidence is proportionable to the Matter to be proved, and that is as much as can be desired by any intel­ligent man. There can be no grea­ter than a Moral Certainty of a Dei­ty: for there are no grounds of it Mathematically Demonstrative. But by being Morally Certain we are certain enough, and as certain as the nature of the thing will bear. This should content any Rational man, and it is unreasonable to de­mand any more.

Then, as for those Demonstrations which they talk so much of, they cannot but acknowledge, that as they are sometimes managed they yield but little Certainty. For, not to speak now of the old Academicks and Scepticks, who denied Geometri­cal Principles; or of Demetrius, Sex­tus Empiricus, Epicurus, Zeno, and others of the Ancient Philosophers [Page 24] who reason'd against them, I will mention some of our Moderns (and those of great Skill and Learning) who have disagreed about Mathe­matical Proofs, and thereby pro­claim to the World their Uncer­tainty. The greatest Astrologers hugely differ as to the distance of the Sun from the Earth. It is near­er to it ten thousand miles than it was, saith Copernicus. But I. Scali­ger would have the Writings of those Authors who hold the Sun is nearer to the Earth than 'twas in former days, ^* to be razed out with sponges, or the Writers themselves to be corrected with stripes. And other very good Astronomers are so far from consenting to this, that they maintain the Sun is farther off from the Earth than it was at first. And yet on both sides they proceed on Mathematical grounds. There is no [Page 25] Mathematical Demonstration for Comets being above or below the Moon, saith ^* Ricciolus, a very skil­ful Mathematician: but others of that Faculty have pretended much to the contrary. The Paralax is well known to be a Mathematical busi­ness, that by which the Planets are judged to be higher or lower: but the greatest Astronomers have quar­rell'd with one another about this Doctrine. Tycho is for it; but Claramontius is against it; and Ga­lilaeus even explodes the Proof brought from the Paralax. Dr. Wallis and Mr. Hobbes's Contrasts in Print, shew that Mathematicks are dubious: and this latter (who was so stiff an Opposer of the No­tion of a Spirit, and consequently of a Deity) finds fault with all Geometricians, old and new, in his Book entituled The Principles and [Page 26] Ratiocination of Geometricians. Car­tes's Dioptricks and Geometry are pre­tended to be baffled by other Lear­ned Mathematicians, as Bourdin, Hobbes, Fermat. Franciscus du Lau­rens, and Dr. Wallis, scuffle about a Mathematical Problem. So that it seems it is not an Infallible Sci­ence. I am certain, saith ^* Dr. Hen­ry More, that Mathematical Certitude it self is not absolute. There is an Essay of Dr. Pell to shew the Errors and Mistakes of the best and most celebrated Astronomers for want of better Knowledge in Geometry. Even ^† Monsieur Malebranch, a profound Admirer and Follower of Descarts, acknowledges that in his Geometry there are some footsteps of the weakness of the humane mind. And I will conclude with the Words of One that was known to be eminent [Page 27] in Mathematical Studies, ^* Even in Geometry and Arithmetick (saith he) how many things are forcibly concluded to be true which are inexplicable, un­imaginable, incomprehensible?

Thus you see the Mathematical Certainty which some men talk of, is not so easily to be attain'd as they fancy. Disputes have place in Geometry; Demonstrations some­times prove to be Paralogisms. But as for a Mathematical Demonstra­tion for the proof of a GOD, it is vainly and unreasonably required, because there can be no such thing, for the matter will not bear it. Wherefore though ^† Some Divines have been great Philosophers and Mathematicians, yet they never at­tempted any such thing. A man [Page 28] must not expect to have every thing proved the same way. If we have things evidenced by the Arguments which they are capable of, it is sa­tisfactory, and every wise man rests in it. And these men themselves do so in other things: they acquiesce in that Evidence which the things admit of, and they seek no farther. Which shews, that in the present Case they are Disingenuous, and Cross-grain'd, and act merely out of Prejudice; which was the thing I undertook to make good. Their Insincerity nourishes their Atheism. Therefore let us have a care that we give way to no such thing.

III. Another Cause of this Per­nicious Opinion, is, Ostentation of Wit. For you may take notice, that this Mischievous Plant springs from Contrary Seeds. As before this kind of men put on a very grave and solid Countenance, so now [Page 29] they shew themselves to be very Pleasant and Airy, and set up for the Art of Drolling. Before they appear'd like Philosophers, now they come upon the Stage like Buffoons. Then with a Magisteri­al Grimace they affected Demon­strations; now nothing will please them but the Comical part. It is observable, that they are a sort of Jesting, Scoffing People, giving themselves to Railery and Bur­lesque. And it is this Jocular Hu­mour that in part betrays them to Atheism, for they take liberty to jest with their Maker. These witty and facetious Folks must needs play with Heaven, and laugh God out of his being. They are defective in sound Learning and Judgment, and in the place of these have a fanciful way of Jeering, which they addict themselves im­moderately to. Democritus was the [Page 30] great Asserter of Eternal Matter, and thought that the Casual Motion of it was the Cause of all things: the influence of which Principle in his Cogitations, made him at last laugh at every thing he saw, and mock at all Actions and Occurren­ces of humane life; for 'tis certain that if they are all by Chance, they are to be denied. The Followers of this Great Man have learnt from him to be Laughing Philosophers; and there are abundance of this Sect now-a-days. This I look up­on as one Cause of the great Atheism of this Age. They think their Tongues are their own, and they may say what they please; and they per­swade themselves, that what is wit­tily said is well said. Hence these Sparks venture to ridicule Religi­on, to scoff at Virtue and Piety, and to mock God himself. Then at last they really believe what they [Page 31] fancy'd, and jestingly utter'd; and they assert in good earnest what at first perhaps was said only in Mer­riment. Wherefore, to guard your selves from Atheism, be always ve­ry Serious, and abhor the sportful vein, the flashy fancy of these men, who think they can't be men of Parts unless they make a mock of God and Religion. Whereas the Brightest and most Accomplish'd Heads ever exploded this: and in our own Nation we have abundant Instances of this, that even the ^* Wisest and the Wittiest Men (tho no Church-men or Divines) have express'd their deep sense of God and serving him, and defied the contrary Profane Atheistical hu­mour.

IV. Pride and Self-conceit may justly be reckon'd another Spring [Page 32] of Atheism. Men in this and for­mer Ages have thought it below them to go tamely along with the generality of Mankind in asserting a Deity. They would be thought wiser than others: and consequent­ly they affect to go against a com­monly receiv'd Notion. But more particularly these High-Flyers ac­count it base and sneaking to listen to an Old Story of Religion, and to submit their Belief to the Harangues of the Parsons, as they are pleas'd to word it. Especially Great Men are apt to be possessed with this Pride, and consequently to be Atheistical. They strongly incline to King Al­phonsus's impious Bravado, That if he had been present at the Creation, he would have framed the World better than 'tis now. There is in many an excessive Desire of a Name and Vogue: and they think to obtain them by scorning the Common [Page 33] way, and going out of the beaten road, by giving the Lye to all Mankind. And though one would think that they might shew the subtilty of their Wit by diving far­ther into things than the Vulgar, and not by casting off the agreed Sentiments of Mankind; by refi­ning and improving the Principles of Nature, and not by nulling and evacuating them; yet they choose the latter, that they may (as they think) give the greater proof of their Wit and Parts, and that it may be seen that they are able to weather a Cause be it never so bad. To maintain this all sober Conside­rations are postpon'd: they super­ciliously renounce (when they are in the Humour) all Reason and Arguments; they arrogantly resolve to hold the Conclusion, whatever becomes of the poor Premises. Atheism owes its Being much to [Page 34] this, as I apprehend; as I think it it is sufficiently evident from what I have said before, when I shew'd that they chuse rather to maintain the greatest Absurdities, than to adhere to a Received Truth. Where­fore that we may effectually prevent this Folly in our selves, let us ba­nish Presumption, Confidence, and Self Conceit; let us extirpate all Pride and Arrogance; let us not list our selves in the number of Ca­pricious Opiniatours.

V. Undue Apprehensions of a Dei­ty joyn'd with Superstition are the high road to Atheism. Those that think amiss of God will easily be enclined to question his Existence. It is too true that men model the Divinity according to their own fancies: the Creature fashions his Creator. Or, like him that en­graved his own Image in that of the Goddess, they shape themselves and [Page 35] figure out their own absurd notions and conceits, whilest they pretend to give the Pourtraiture of God. Therefore imposing of false Do­ctrines concerning the Attributes of God is very pernicious, for they are destructive of his very being and nature. It is no wonder that when these come to be scann'd and ex­amined, men doubt of the very ex­istence of God, because so irratio­nal and absured things are attributed to him. They are loth to think there is such a One, or they wish there were not. So that they en­deavour to destroy that which they can't endure. Thus mistakes and misprisions concerning God lead to Atheism. False Conceptions of a Deity expunge at last the belief of one.

And so 'twas of old in Paganism, Idolatry was the great mother of Atheism: gross Superstition under­mined [Page 36] the Godhead. It hath been falsly and blasphemously said that ^* Fear was it which first introduced a God into the world: but yet it is certainly true that This with some persons hath expelled the notion of him out of the world: for they be­ing Timerous and Melancholick create to themselves strange fancies concerning Him whom they are to worship, and represent him to their thoughts as Severe and Tyrannical. And the Gentile Priests and Rulers laid hold on this passion of Fear, and did what they could to pro­mote and heighten it, that thereby they might keep the people in awe. To which purpose they invented Innumerable Rites and Ceremonies, many of which were harsh, trouble­som and afflictive. So that Bigotry and Excess in Religion made way for none at all: and when they were [Page 37] wearied with the intolerable burden of it they cried out, with that Non­sensical Atheist, ‘Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum.’

Then Religion it self and the Au­thor of it were discarded. This was caused by the Undue Representations which were made of God: the Priests would have the Superstitious Bigots believe that the Divine Nu­men could not be appeased without those wild Observances. This is that which Plutarch took notice of, telling us that ^* from such gross, absurd and extravagant Devotion men came to disregard a Diety, and to conclude there is None rather than to believe there can be Such a one, one that is delighted with so unaccountable Ceremonies and U­sages. Therefore, to shut out A­theism, let us have right concepti­ons [Page 38] of the Supreme Being whom we worship and serve. It concerns us to assert rightly the notion of God, lest otherwise we slide into a disbe­lief of any. Who misrepresenteth the Divine Being is in a ready way to deny him.

VI. Corrupt Affections and Lives (for I will joyn both these together, because they are never asunder) make men Atheists. Men of de­praved minds and manners doubt of all Religions because they Like none, and at last they flatly deny what they Love not. An Atheist first desires and wishes no God, and his desires and wishes work on his Understand­ing. His Willingness to have it so enclines him to believe it. He easily credits what he longs for: his Af­fection corrupts his Judgment. Thus the indulging of Lust and Vice dis­pose a man to Atheism. To which purpose observe the Soil where this [Page 39] Poisonous Weed springs up, grows, and thrives most, viz. in the Courts of Debauch'd Princes, among such Nobility and Gentry, and in Great Cities where vicious and prophane living is most in fashion. They are lewd and dissolute in their man­ners, and give themselves up whol­ly to the satisfying of their Lusts: and this naturally prejudices them against the belief of a God and a life to come. Nothing doth so much extinguish all apprehensions of these as Carnal Pleasures. He that lives dissolutely and wickedly can't easily entertain the notion of a God, for 'tis counter to his course of Living. Therefore he goes on in his Debauchery, and huffs and swaggers, and perhaps swears by the Divinity that there is none. It is plain that this sort of men decry a God, because they would not be obliged by his Laws. Sensuality [Page 40] makes them desirous to remove all stops of a wicked life, and there­fore they whet their wits (such as they are) to annihilate Religion, and to extirpate a Deity. An ab­horrence of the Practical part of Piety engages them against the The­ory. Their Lives influence on their Belief. They are addicted to A­theism by their Lewd and Prophane Courses.

For we must observe this, that these two mutually advance one an other. As Atheism is the highway of Wickedness (which the Psalmist takes notice of when he saith, The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God: Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity, Psal. 53. 1.) so 'tis as true that Wickedness is the original of Atheism and Infidelity. For 'twas rightly said by a Great Man, ^* None deny there is a God but [Page 41] those for whom it maketh that there were no God. For they know that if there be one, he will certainly judg them for their evil doings. They cannot therefore be secure in their sins un­less the notion and remembrance of a Deity be blotted out. It is their supposed Interest then, not their Reason, that makes them deny a God; for it is their Concern to be perswaded, that there is none to punish them. Briefly, they are un­willing to believe any thing but what their Lust shall put into their Creed. Thus you see the true Rea­son of the Atheism of these times. It is fed and pamper'd by Luxury; the constant Fumes and Steams of this affect the Brain, and discom­pose the Intellect. Practical Atheism leads to that which is Dogmatical, i. e. holding and believing that there is no God. Evil and perverse minds, profane and debauch'd lives, strange­ly [Page 42] byass and incline men to this. Wherefore if you would effectual­ly shut out this Vile Perswasion, take care to suppress your Evil Af­fections and Practices, for these are wont to court mens understandings to turn Atheists.

VII. Atheists take occasion from our Divisions, Broils, and Animosi­ties, from the many Parties and Squadrons of Sects that are in the World, to bid defiance to all Reli­gion; and they resolve to profess none till they can see them all Agreed. Thus ^* Tully observed of old, that the Dissentions of Philo­sophers, the various Sentiments and Opinions that prevail'd among them were a cause of some mens denying a Deity, at least of their staggering about it. And truly this Observa­tor himself, in his Books De Natu­ra Deorum, is so given to the Aca­demical [Page 43] vein of Disputing, that he seems sometimes to be irresolv'd whether there is any God or no. So it hath been among some of those who have taken upon them the ex­ternal Denomination of Christians. The Differences in Opinion, the Errors and Heresies which they take notice of, cause them to suspect yea to renounce all Truth. A great deal of the Atheism of this present Age may be ascrib'd to this. Some behold the great Scufflings that are about Religion, not only the Sin­gle Combates, but the Pitch'd Bat­elts that are about it, and thereup­on they discard all thoughts of any such thing, and become perfect Libertines. And herein they are promoted and push'd on by such persons as the Author of Fiat Lux and the Treatise of Humane Reason, who both design Scepticism, and so Atheism.

[Page 44]But though it is thus, though the Different Perswasions about Re­ligious Matters have this ill effect, yet this can be no true Reason why any man should renounce the Belief of a God. For he that is truly ra­tional and considerate, will rather make this an Argument of the con­trary: for it was foretold by ^* Christ and his ^† Apostles, that Errors and Delusions should be in the World, and therefore the Fulfilling of these Prophecies be as witness not only to the Truth of the Writings of the New Testament, and consequent­ly of Christianity, but of the Divi­nity it self. For things of this na­ture, which depend wholly on free and arbitrary Causes, cannot be foretold without Divine and Super­natural help. None but an All­seeing eye could have a prospect of [Page 45] these future Occurrences. The Predicting of such things to come is an Evidence of an Omniscient Deity.

And then as to the thing it self, why should any man think it Strange and Unaccountable that there are Dissentions in Christen­dom? He may as well wonder that there are Men in the World; for as long as these retain their nature, i. e. are subject to Prejudice, Love of Interest, Passion, Pride, and the like, there will be Errors and He­resies, for these proceed from some of those ill Principles: and unless God should change the frame of the World, and destroy the free­dom of Man's will, i. e. make him another Creature, it cannot be other­wise. How unreasonably then do men question a God, and cry out against Religion it self because they see so many of this sort of Disor­ders [Page 46] in the world? Whereas it is certain, that it is not the fault of Religion that things are thus, but they are thus because men have so little Religion.

Again, the Cheats and Delusions that are in the world are useful for the Trial of Mankind, that (as the Apostle saith) they who are approved may be made manifest, 1 Cor. 11. 19. I do not say they were design'd for this (for no Evil is design'd by God) yet it is certain they are expedient for this purpose; and there is no better way to have an experiment of the Upright Judgment, Sincerity, Faithfulness, and Constancy of Per­sons, than by their being expos'd to these Impostures. Lastly, God deservedly Punishes men with erro­neous and false Doctrines. 2 Thess. 2. 10, 11. Because they receive not the love of the truth (yea because they hate it, and oppose themselves [Page 47] to it) and have pleasure in unrighte­ousness, for this cause he sends them strong delusion, that they shall believe a Lye, and that they shall defend and maintain it. It is just with God to leave men to the Error and Blindness of their Minds, and judi­cially to give them over the Atheisti­cal Perswasions when they have wil­fully debauch'd and abused their Faculties. This is the dreadful, but just Judgment of God; and I doubt not but the present Atheism of this Age is such.

Thus it is evident that Errors and Dissentions about Religion are so far from being Arguments of the Non-Existence of a Deity, that they are undeniable Proofs of it. Let not then the diversity of Sects and the Disputes of wrangling Heads (as particularly the late up­start Contrast between the Unitari­ans and Trinitarians) prejudice us [Page 48] against our Christian Faith. But let us rather be stirr'd up hence to hold fast the Principles of our Be­lief, and to own a Deity when there are so many in this degenerate Age that deny it. And withal, let us endeavour to banish Atheism by do­ing so to our Divisions: let us lay aside our Religious Squabbles, and arrive at last to a happy Agreement in Doctrine, that we may hereby cut off occasion of Atheistick Un­belief on this Account. However, though in some Points we can't fully accord, let us not be hot and firy against one another, as if Cha­rity were no Virtue with us.

VIII. There is something more heinous than Divisions, which fre­quently occasions Atheism, and confirms men in it; and that is, the Hypocrisie and Evil Practices of too many that make a very fair professi­on of Christianity. Whilst it is ob­serv'd [Page 49] that they talk Religiously, and pretend to Holiness, but do nothing of what they talk of or pretend to; whilst it is seen that they have a form of godliness, but de­ny the power thereof; whilst it is evi­dent that they cry the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, and yet are unhallowed in their Lives; whilst it is known that they lay claim to the Spirit, but are Carnal and Sensual in their Manners, and enterprize very vile things for their worldly Profit and Advantage; in short, whilst it is observ'd that the Behaviour of sundry of the avowed Professors of Christianity is unan­swerable to their Principles, there is a sort of men that for the sake of these, presently conclude all to be Hypocrites, and Christianity it self to be an Imposture. This then I grant, that the Unbecoming Lives of Christians are an unhappy occasion [Page 50] of Atheism sometimes, but they can never be alledged as a sufficient one. For what though there be mere Pretenders to Godliness? doth it thence follow that there is none at all? What though there are great numbers of Religious Impo­stors? Must I therefore thence con­clude that all Professors of Religi­on are an errant Cheat? Then by the same Logick I may perempto­rily infer, that there is no such Me­tal as Silver, because by too noted experience we find at this day that it is generally counterfeited; and there is no such thing as True Coin, because so much is adultera­ted amongst us. No man of sense will make these Conclusions: and 'tis as certain, that he can with as little reason make the others. Let us not then be abused by unsound and fallacious Inferences: let us not think there is no Religion be­cause [Page 51] there are so many Unworthy Retainers to it. Yea, let us be fully convinced of this, that though Christianity hath been, and is to this day abused and sophisticated, and thereby dishonoured; yet it is a Reality, and we may venture our Lives upon it. And seeing the Evil Deportment of some that pro­fess Christianity is the greatest en­couragement to Atheism and Vice, let us all make it our great business to adorn our Profession with a ho­ly, strict, and exemplary Conver­sation. Let our light so shine before men, that others seeing our good works may be so far from denying, that they may glorifie God. And let us pray for the arrival of that Happy Day (and I hope it is not very far off) when Religion shall univer­sally bear sway upon Earth, and when men shall be throughly con­vinced of the real Worth of Chri­stianity [Page 52] from the Practices of those that profess it.

IX. In the next place, more particularly, the Ill Examples of some who by their Office are Spi­ritual Guides and Instructors, are mention'd as another great occasion of Irreligion and Atheism. It is necessary to take notice of this, be­cause it is alledged (but very fre­quently without ground) by the sworn Patrons of that Cause which I am now pleading against. They observe of some of this Order of men, that they urge Virtue and Holiness with great Warmth and pathetick Zeal, and yet are very cold, yea wholly neglectful in the Practice of them, and visibly fa­vour those Vices and Enormities which they disswade others from: whence it is no wonder (say they) that these Persons are not believed to be in good earnest, yea that they [Page 53] are thought not to believe them­selves, i. e. to be really perswaded that those things are true which they discourse of; for it is seen, that their Lives wholly contradict their Doctrine. Whence this rash Conclusion is made, that Preaching is a meer Trade, that the Ministe­rial Function is a Cheat, and that Religion it self is so too, and that a Deity is no other. Thus where is there more of Atheism than in Italy, the Pope's own Soil, part of which is call'd Holy Land? Which the Observing ^* Author of Europae Speculum (who had convers'd in his Travels with the Italians, and knew them very well) attributes to the gross Wickedness of the Roman Cler­gy, and particularly of the Popes and Cardinals, of whose scandalous Speeches and Actions the people of that Country have a greater [Page 54] knowledge than others. They are not ignorant that several Popes were inclined to be Atheists; as Paul 3. when he was dying told the Stan­ders by, that he should now know three things, viz. whether the Soul be immortal, whether there be a Hell, and whether there be a God. And Iohn 23. (as is plain from that Council of Constance by whom he was deposed) profess'd that he look'd upon Religion as a Fable, and God and the Soul's Immortali­ty as such. And they dayly behold the lewd and dissolute Practices of some of the Cardinals and Prelates, Abbots, Monks, and of their Parish-Priests, which very thing (as the foresaid Author observes) makes them the most Irreligious People in the World, yea causes them to defie all Religion for their sakes. Especially they conclude, that there is nothing true and real in Christi­anity, [Page 55] because so many of the emi­nent Pretenders to it and Assertors of it, live continually in opposition to all Religious Principles and Pra­ctices, and are seen to be guilty of the most horrid Impieties, of the most execrable Villanies that are to be imagined. Their being so near to the Head of that Religion (as he is stiled) makes them averse to the whole kind. And this is in some measure the case of People in other Countreys, where even the Prote­stant Faith is professed, but is ac­companied with the Scandalous Lives and Lewd Practices of some that are immediately concern'd in Holy things, and whose Employ­ment it is to direct others in Reli­gion.

But to speak impartially to any considerate Person, this cannot yield an occasion of being Atheistical: for though the manners of some of the [Page 56] Sacred Function be offensive, yet 'tis irrational and absurd to blast all Religion for their Misdemean­ours. We do not read that our Sa­viour condemned the Iewish Church and Mosaick Law because of the Hy­pocrisie and Wickedness of the Chief Priests, Scribes, and Doctors of the Law. Nay, he tells the People, All that they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye af­ter their works, Matth. 23. 3. As much as if he had said, The Mo­ral Law, and all the Offices of Re­ligion, are not in the least discre­dited by the vicious Manners of some of your Teachers. Be careful that you imitate them not in their Practices; but be very observant of the Holy Doctrine which they deliver; entertain no ill Thoughts of it, because of the corrupt Lives of your Guides. The like may be said now; the Faults and Miscar­riages [Page 57] of any Ecclesiastical Persons must not be charged on the Sacred Institution of Christ; we ought not to think ill of Christianity for the disorderly Behaviour of any spi­ritual Officers in the Church. We see that there is no man refuses to follow a Learned Physician's Pre­scriptions and Rules concerning Health, because he doth not ob­serve them himself. Nor can the Spiritual Patient with any reason re­ject the Rules of Saving Health and Happiness, though they are not observ'd by the Prescriber himself.

But to be yet more plain with the Persons I am now dealing with, they (of all men) cannot with any tolerable pretence make use of this Plea: they cannot complain of the Lives of the Clergy as administring to their disregard of Religion, for the more strict and religious any Church-man is, the more is he de­spised [Page 58] and hated by them. A Pious Clergy-man is reckon'd by them a weak shallow Creature, a fantastick Bigot, and is laugh'd at as such. So that it is evident, that what they alledge concerning the undue Be­haviour of some that serve at the Altar, is a more groundless Cavil; for they would have all men as Wicked and Debauch'd as them­selves.

It must indeed be acknowledged, that this is a great Scandal, and of ve­ry pernicious consequence, and such as is not to be permitted with im­punity in the Church: but it is no excusable ground of Impiety and A­theism. However, since it is so hei­nous in it self, and is made by the perverse minds of many an Excuse for their Atheism, it is the concern of all Christian Guides of Souls to be Examples to the Flock, to con­form their Lives with great Cir­cumspection [Page 59] and Exactness to the Laws of Christ Jesus their Master, and to take care to perform them­selves whatever they require others to do.

X. Unbelief of a God is occasi­on'd sometimes by the Strange Revo­lutions and Changes, the Odd Events, and Unaccountable Administrations that are in the World. Especially men are inclined to question God's Exi­stence as well as his Providence when they behold the prosperous state of the most vicious Persons, and on the contrary, observe how miserably sometimes the Best men are treated in this Life, and at Death are not at all differenc'd from the Worst, but perish alike. Then you shall hear one cry out, Quis pu­tet esse Deos? And another uses the like Language of the Poet,

[Page 60]But any understanding man, who will take time to consider and deli­berate, will see that nothing of this nature can justly administer matter of Atheism. For is must be re­membred, that we are finite shal­low Creatures, and are not able to comprehend the Wise Designs and Purposes of Heaven in every Event that we see: and therefore when we meet with obscure and rugged Dis­pensations, and such as seem to be very disorder'd and irregular, we have no reason to find fault with them, and to think them unworthy of God, and of Divine Providence, because we are not able to make a judgment of them. Those Events which seem to be excentrick and at random, are guided by a steady un­erring hand: but we have not depth of Apprehension to conceive it at present. But it may be afterwards, when our minds are more enlight­ned, [Page 61] we shall know how to solve these difficult Phoenomena. How­ever, at the last Day all these In­trigues, these Knots, these Laby­rinths, these Riddles, shall be ful­ly resolved; and it shall be part of our employment in the other world, to admire and adore the Infinite Wisdom of God in the disposal of the Affairs here on Earth. And particularly we shall then be satis­fied, yea we may be now, concer­ning the foresaid Problem, viz. the Prosperity of the Wicked, and the contrary Circumstances of the Good; for 'tis evident, that these are accor­ding to exact Justice and Wisdom. God intended the former should have their portion in this life only; and he designed the latter to be pre­pared for Heaven by those rougher dealings here below.

Lastly, Learned Times, especial­ly if accompanied with Peace or Prospe­rity, [Page 62] are reckon'd by a ^* Judicious Person as another Cause of Atheism. Nor is this inconsistent with what I said before, that Ignorance is the Mother of Atheism. For Learned or Peaceable times are only thus far conducible to this Great Evil, that men are then generally too In­quisitive and Curious, too Nice and Wanton, and over-busily pry into Secrets; which when they cannot satisfie themselves about, they are inclined to be Atheistical, and to doubt even concerning the chief things of Religion. Where­fore I question not but the starting and keeping up at this day the De­bates about the Doctrine of the Ho­ly Trinity are a great advancement to this evil disposition of mind. There are those who push on both Parties to wrangle and quarrel a­bout this Grand Point, and in the [Page 63] mean time laugh at the Comba­tants on both sides. Whilst they encourage some Writers to baffle the Trinity of Divine Persons, their Project is to destroy the Essence it self. Whilst they put them upon maintaining the Unity of the God­head, they hope in the close of the Dispute to introduce a Nullity not only of the Deity, but of all Re­ligion. For by these Bandyings backward and forward, they know that mens minds will be unsettled and that they will be apt to waver about the truth and certainty of the main Articles of our Religion. When Persons observe, that the very Divinity of our Blessed Lord and Saviour is toss'd and torn by rude Pens; when they see so Catho­lick a Doctrine attack'd with such Violence; what can they think of the other great Verities of Christi­anity? And withall, the Anti-Tri­nitarians [Page 64] hereby provoke some of their Adversaries to an indecent sort of Language concerning these Holy Mysteries: so that some of these latter have hurt the Cause it may be almost as much by their Defending it, as the others have by their Opposing it. Thus it must needs be when Persons immoderate­ly indulge Curiosity in these Abstruse and Sublime Matters, and will not be content with what the Bible and immediate Inferences drawn thence suggest to us. By this means they lose their hold, and give their An­tagonists a clear Advantage against them, and manifestly promote the Design of those who make it their work to make void the Notion of a Deity.

Nay, in the very Socinian Do­ctrine it self there seems to be an Atheistick Tang. Would not a man guess that there is in approach to [Page 65] Atheism in those Reflections which are made on a Sermon preach'd by the Right Reverend Bishop of Wor­cester, ^* where one of the most re­ceiv'd Notions concerning the Na­ture of the Deity it self is cashier'd. The Self-Existence of God, which is the Primary, Fundamental, and Essential Property, and is the very Life and Soul of the explicatory part of the Doctrine of the Deity, is peremptorily pronounced by them to be a Contradiction. It is well known, Socinus, and Crellius, and others of this Party, deny God's Immensity, i. e. his being present every where as to his Essence and Nature. All of them agree, that he hath not a Knowledge and Fore­sight of every thing that happens in the World, for future Contingen­cies are hid from him. Particularly ^* Socinus largely argues against this Praescience, and tells us, that he is to be laugh'd at that asserts the con­trary. Nay, it is farther observa­ble, that this great Patriarch of the present Cause disowns the Immate­rial or Spiritual Nature of God, as may be undeniably gather'd from his ^† Exposition of Iohn. 4. 24. and other Passages in his Writings. And he is followed by Crellius, as is ma­nifest from that Account which this latter gives of a Spirit, when ^‖ he speaks of the Nature of God. He doth not make it to be any thing above a refined body, a substance void of all gross matter, such as the Air or Aether is. So that when these men call God a Spirit, their mean­ing is, that he is a Fine and Te­nuious [Page 67] sort of Matter, not that he is wholly Incorporeal, and altoge­ther free from Matter. This is the same with Mr. Hobbs's Corporeal God. Thus four of the Chief At­tributes of the Deity, viz. Self-Existence, Omnipresence, Omniscience, and Spirituality, are either in whole or in part rejected. Whereupon, I ask this Question, Whether these things do not discover a Tendency (to say no more) in the Anti-Trini­tarians to that which I am charging them with? For to assert a God▪ and yet to deny some of his Choi­cest Properties (whereby we know him to be God) is in effect the same with denying a Deity.

If they distinguish between the English and Foreign Socinians (as I perceive they do) and tell us that the former do not assert the things before mention'd, I answer, the very English Prints avouch the first [Page 68] of those Particulars: and as for the rest, they being the Doctrine of the Chief Patrons of the Socinian Cause, yea and of the Most of them, the English Unitarians are involved in them, because those Foreigners are the greatest and most substantial part of that Body of men call'd So­cinians. Thus the Trinitarian Scheme of Religion, drawn up by some En­glish Socinians of late is thought by them to touch all the Trinitarians (else it could not be stiled the Tri­nitarian Scheme) though every indi­vidual Trinitarian doth not hold all those things mentioned there. Let them apply this, and they will have nothing to object.

And further, I would argue from their own avowed Principle, which is that they are to admit of no­thing but what is exactly adjusted to Nature's and Reason's Light, nothing but what is entirely clear and evident: [Page 69] for though it is true some Socinian Writers of late have laid aside this Notion (and truly we may observe that they are shifting every day their Arguments, and so we know not where to have them) yet he that is acquainted with the Writings that make up the main Body of Socinia­nism knows full well that this is a Principle constantly asserted and maintain'd by the generality of them, and upon all occasions insist­ed upon. This hath been the Stanch Notion of the Great Dons of the Party, and of the famous Socinus himself. And Slicktingius, though he seems indeed sometimes to be otherwise perswaded, yet comes to this at last, that the Trinity is a Doctrine that can't be borne, because it can't be understood. And why do ^{* *} Crellius and others argue from Rea­son [Page 70] and Logical Arguments against the Trinity, if they do not refuse the Doctrine upon the account of Reason? And it is certain they would not do this if they were not perswaded that these things in Re­ligion must be adjusted to Natural Reason, and that they are displeased with the Doctrine of the Trinity and Incarnation, &c. because these are not exactly squared to their Natu­ral Notions. You see then what is the sentiment of the Greatest Rabbies of this way, and therefore we must make our estimate of the Socinian or Antitrinitarian Do­ctrine from these, and not from one or two Modern Writers. This I think will be granted by all men of reason.

But what if it doth appear that even the very English and Modern Socinians, though they seem to wave this Principle, do yet retain it, and [Page 71] govern themselves by it? Else why do they complain that ^* they have no conception of the Trinity as the Trini­tarians represent it to them, they cannot form an idea of it; it is a noti­on that excites no idea's in their minds; it is against Reason and Natural Light? We are advised by the Modern Pen­men ^† to consult our Reason about the thing in question; and if we do so, we shall find an absolute impossibility in the Trinitarian Doctrine: our Reason will assure us that an Almighty Father and an Almighty Son are most certainly two Gods, and that two Creators can be no other than two Gods: Therefore we may, and we must infer that the explication of the first Verses of St. John 's Gos­pel, which advance such a Doctrine, is certainly false. Again, the English Socinians tell us that ^‖ the [Page 72] Doctrine of the Trinity clashing al­together with our natural idea's can be no matter of Revelation, and therefore ought not to be believ'd. And hear their Final and Resolute Determi­nation, which fully speaks their ab­solute adherence to this Principle, ^† We abide by this Argument, here we fix our foot, never to be removed, that the inconsistence of the Trinity (as well as the Incarnation) with Reason and Natural Knowledge being undenia­bly evident, therefore this Doctrine can have no real foundation in Divine Re­velation, that is to say, in Holy Scrip­ture. And we find that our English Unitarians ^* argue from Reason in this Point, and they declare that they cannot believe it because Rea­son doth not teach it. Thus we find that the bottom of all is, the Trinity and such like Doctrines are [Page 73] above their Reason, and Natural Idea's, and therefore they are no matter of their Faith. This is it which the Reverend Person before named charges these men with in a great part of his ^* Sermon: and cer­tainly he would not have done it if there were no such persons in being. It is too plain that there are such, and I think I have proved it from their own mouths. The sum of their Opi­nion and resolution if this, that there is nothing difficult and ab­struse in Religion, and that they will not believe any thing in Chri­stianity but what they can make out by Reason: otherwise it must be discarded presently.

Now, to apply this Principle of the Antitrinitarians; we are assured that we cannot by searching find out God, Job 11. 7. his Infinite Nature [Page 74] and Immense Essence are not com­mensurate to our Conceptions, are not adjusted to our Idea's, but are far above them: it is impossible that the Apprehensions of finite Creatures should reach these things: therefore according to the foresaid Principle, the Unitarians are not obliged to believe any such things; they must not admit of the Infinite Nature of God, concerning which our Conceptions will always be ob­scure and unproportionate; yea, they cannot but infer from their own Maxim, that God is an impos­sible Being, at least that His Im­mense Nature is such. They cannot comprehend and conceive the Man­ner of the Immense and Infinite Presence or Knowledge of God; therefore they must disown the things themselves. Thus by vertue of their own profess'd Principle, the Godhead it self as well as the [Page 75] Trinity is shock'd by them: and consequently one would be apt to gather that a Socinian, so far as he is led by this Principle, is an Atheist, or (lest that should seem harsh) one that favours the Cause of A­theism. For he may as well quit the belief of a God because of these Difficulties and Abstrusities in the Nature of God, as renounce the Doctrine of the Trinity, because there are some inexplicable and un­intelligible things that accompany it. But because all men do not fol­low the natural Conduct of their Principles (the Divine Providence over-ruling in these cases) I do not here pass an Universal Censure, I do not speak of every individual man, nay I hope charitably concer­ning most of them. However, it is to be fear'd, that some are un­happily under the force and sway of the foregoing Principle; and [Page 76] these are the Persons I speak of, and no other.

These things I freely and openly suggest. Which the Learned and Ingenious Gentlemen of the Raco­vian Perswasion cannot dislike, un­less they disapprove of themselves, unless they disclaim their own Wri­tings; for they cry up in almost all of them (and in ^* one very lately) a Freedom of Discourse, a Liberty of speaking their Thoughts, which they applaud as a very Generous and Noble thing, and much value them­selves upon it. They cannot deny that to me which they allow of and magnifie in themselves, especially when I most sacredly profess to them that I have sincerely delivered my Thoughts, and spoken what I conceive to be the words of Truth and Soberness. Wherefore I ex­pect to be approved of by Persons [Page 77] of their Ingenuity and Free Tem­per, who (as I find) blame others (even some of the Clergy) for pal­liating and dissembling, and not speaking out. I think they will not charge me with this Fault, for I have acted according to their own Generous Principles: and I must tell them there is not a Friend of theirs in all their dear Eleutheropolis that is more disingaged and unby­ass'd than I am.

But though I have used a beco­ming Freedom, yet there are some things that I omit, because I would let the World see that I am not ea­ger and lavish in blaming and cen­suring any Party of Men, especially since it is suggested to me by some that are Learned and Sober of that Perswasion, that it is hard that their Opinion should suffer for the Ill Consequences of it, or for the In­sincerity of any that profess it, or [Page 78] by reason of the Rash indiscreet Pas­sages which occurr in some of their late Writers. I do it likewise be­cause I would give the World an Example of Moderation and Tem­per in this Disputing and Wran­gling Age; that it may be seen, that whilst I remonstrate against the Errors and Mistakes (as I sup­pose them to be) of any Side, I can forbear to publish the Aggra­vations of them, and that I had ra­ther the Truth should prevail than the Contrary Opinion, or the Main­tainers of it should be exposed. Fi­nally, I consider that it is improper and unseasonable to contend among our selves at home whilst our Ar­mies are engaging the Enemy abroad.

The Proper Antidote belonging to this Head of my Discourse is this; Let us make a Difference be­tween Finite Beings and that which [Page 79] is Infinite: for seeing there is such a Vast Difference between them, we ought to observe it. We can­not form the same Conceptions of one and the other; yea the latter is exalted above our reach and com­prehension; wherefore let us be sa­tisfied, that the Properties of an Infinite Being (such as God is) are incomprehensible, and therefore that may be possible in the Infinite Nature of God (as namely that it is communicable to Three Distinct Persons) which is impossible in the Finite Nature of Man or other Creatures. Let us attend to that which may be known, and that clearly and distinctly, and not trou­ble our thoughts and wrack our brains about Unsearchable Myste­ries. A Lover of Peace as well as Truth should not be so much solli­citous about the Manner of the Three Personalities or Subsistencies as about [Page 80] the Trinity it self. We are sure of the latter, as sure as the Scripture can make us; therefore it doth not become us to wrangle about the former; especially when we find that ill-minded men make use of this Quarrel to promote the Cause of Atheism; and truly they make advances towards it every day.

I proceed to Other Doctrines which administer to this Great Evil which I have been speaking of, and which may justly be reckoned among the Blemishes of these In­quisitive Times. Such is that of a ^* late Writer, that the Books of the Old Testament were not written by those Persons whose Names they bear, that the Historical parts of the Bible are lame and imperfect, and repugnant to themselves; that the Writings were not carefully and faithfully transmitted to us, but [Page 81] abound with many faults and mi­stakes, that the Books of the Pro­phets are mere scraps and fragments, and taken without order and me­thod from other Writings. All which put together, destroys the Authority of Divine Revelation, and consequently of all Reveal'd Religion, from whence we have the strongest and most pregnant Ar­guments for a Deity.

Again, The same Design is ad­vanced in these Learned Times by thrusting of Opinions and Theories on the world in defiance of the plain Letter and Historical Part of the Bible: as if the Sacred History, which was written by Inspired Men, were not as credible and au­thentick as that of Prophane Au­thors. The frame of the Primitive Earth is represented opposite to what Moses tells us it was: the ac­count which he gives of Paradise [Page 82] (as it is a Particular Place) is contradicted, yea it is strongly a­verr'd, that there never was any such thing. What Moses relates concerning our First Parents is laugh'd at as a Romantick Story. The Universal Deluge in Noah's time is attributed to an accidental diru­ption of the Earth; which when scann'd, is found to be fictitious and imaginary, and thence the De­luge it self is concluded by many to be so; and Moses is reckon'd by them as an Impostor. Which is taken notice of, and thus animad­verted upon by a Curious Observer, and One who (as becometh so Learned an Head) joyns Religion with his Philosophical Researches, ^* The Atheistical Party had hereby an occasion (saith he) boldly to give out that such a Deluge as that described by Moses was altogether incredible, [Page 83] and that there never was, nor could be any such thing. Nothing was talk'd of among them under Mathematical Demonstrations of the falshood of it, which they vented with all imaginable Triumph, and would needs have it that they had here sprung a fresh and unan­swerable Argument against the Authen­tickness of the Mosaick Writings; which is indeed what they drive at, and a Point they very fain would gain. For if the Pen-man of the first book in the Bible be found tripping, then the Credit of all the rest falls to the ground; we may justly question their Fidelity, yea deny whatever they say. And so the Bible falls, and with it all our Religion, and with that necessarily a Deity, which is the thing ultimately aimed at, I do not say by the first Hand from whence these Notions came (for I charitably hope better things of so Learned a Person, especially since [Page 84] he hath shew'd himself not unwil­ling to retract them) but by those ill-minded men who make their Markets of these Opinions. All that I will add here is this, that if (according to a Learned ^* Doctor of the Sorbon) it be a very dange­rous Paradox to presume to deny that the Pentateuch was composed by Moses, and accordingly Hobbes and Spinosa are condemn'd by him for using Ar­guments to that purpose, then sure­ly it must be much more dange­rous and pernicious to hold that any part of Moses's Writings is mere Forgery and Fiction, i. e. was de­signed only to comply with the Ig­norant Iews at that time, and doth not contain matter of fact. I have said something of this nature in an­other place, and on another account, but I never had occasion before to represent it as an unhappy Handle [Page 85] which Atheistically disposed Per­sons may lay hold upon. Where­fore let those who are Philosophi­cally disposed take warning hence, and forbear to prefer their own pre­carious Hypotheses before the plain Account which this Inspired Hi­storian gives of those first things in the World. Let none presume to represent the Writings of this First Author as false, in order to make their own true, and thereby to gra­tifie the worst sort of men. I need not say more here, because I have already antidoted against the Infe­ction of these two last Heads, viz. in those Discourses wherein I have treated of the Authority and Perfecti­on of the Scriptures.

In the next place, Learned En­quirers are apt to give Encourage­ment to Atheism by an obstinate en­deavouring to solve all the Phoenome­na in the world by mere Natural and [Page 86] Corporeal Causes, and by their averse­ness to admit of the aid and concur­rence of a Supernatural or Imma­terial Principle for the production of them. The Mechanick Philosophy hath done a great deal of mischief on this account: not but that (so far as it ought to be made use of) it is generally the most excellent (because the most plain and sensi­ble) way of displaying the Opera­tions of Natural Bodies: and it cannot be denied, that since This hath been revived and entertain'd, there hath been that Improvement in Natural Philosophy which never was thought of before, and which could never have been attain'd by the Aristotelian way: yet this is to be said with truth and reason, that the Great Reviver and Manager of it hath carried it on too far by un­dertaking to give an account of All Effects and Events in the produ­ction [Page 87] of Vegetables and Animals, and in the very Formation and Organization of the Body of Man himself by mere Mechanick Prin­ciples, thereby in a manner ascri­bing Divinity to Matter and Moti­on. This Great Philosophick Wit over-shot himself here: and though it is true he hath otherways ( viz. by asserting the Notion of Souls or Spirits, and by demonstrating the essential and real Difference from Bodies) made some part of amends for this, yet there are many at this day who make very ill use of this Doctrine. Some take occasion thence to believe, that Men as well as Brutes are no other than Engines and Machines, mere Neurospasts and Senseless Puppets. Others build upon this Notion the Con­ceit of Thinking Matter, for if Pores and Particles do all things in the [Page 88] Bodies of Brutes, it is probable they serve instead of Souls to those of Humane Race: and so a Spiri­tual and Immaterial Principle is excluded. This Philosophy is Vain Deceit, and too many are spoil'd by it.

But they should consider that the Noble French Philosopher him­self did not believe all that he wrote. Malebranch, who was a great Admirer and Defender of him, tells us, that he never pretended that things were made in that manner that he describes them ^*. Yea, we have Des Cartes's own word for it, ^† I require not any one, saith he, to be­lieve that Bodies which compose this visible World were ever produced in that way which I have represented them. It seems by his own Con­fession, [Page 89] that he was not in good earnest in all the parts of his Phi­losophy, and therefore we may ga­ther that in some of the Particulars aforemention'd he only propounded his Conjectures.

We might carry this Thought yet farther, and observe that the generality of the Modern Philoso­phers (not only Cartesians, but o­thers) have contributed much to Atheism, by referring All things, not only in Organiz'd Bodies but in every part of the World, and all the Phoenomena that we take notice of in it to a Corporeal Principle, and to the Efficiency and Power of this alone. Whereas, it is certain that there are many things which hap­pen in the World that cannot be solv'd any other way than by the Superintendence of a Spiritual Be­ing. There are several wonderful [Page 90] Occurrences which no man can give an account of, but by suppo­sing an Almighty Immaterial Agent, which is no other than God. Thus we must be constrained to repair to an Incorporeal Principle to solve the Cause of the Seas constant Ebb­ing and Flowing, and the Attraction of the Loadstone, and the Hanging of the Clouds, and many other Phoeno­mena in Nature: for the Accounts that are given are imperfect and in­consistent, and do no ways satisfie any Serious Enquirer. A man that is not willing to be put off with slight and insufficient Suggestions, cannot rest in them as true Causes of those things. Only Philosophi­cal men will be assigning some Reasons of things, whether they can or no: and this is an Inclinati­on which is incident to the best and wisest Naturalists in all Ages. [Page 91] But they may as reasonably under­take to shew whence it is that the Sun hath its continual Motion from East to West, or (as they would rather express it) why the Earth wheels about upon its Axis from West to East: which yet I do not see attempted by any Philo­sopher whatsoever; and yet there is as much reason for the one as the other.

So for Gravity, that known af­fection of Bodies whereby they are inclined towards the same Com­mon Center, it seems not to be solved by any Principles of Mecha­nism that have hitherto been pro­pounded, whether it be from a kind of Magnetism in some parts of the Earth (as hath been imagin'd by some) or from the reflected Particles of the Celestial Matter dri­ving down into their places the ear­thy [Page 92] bodies they find above them, or (as they at other times are plea­sed to speak) from the pressure of the Atmosphere, which moves all Bodies continually downwards, be­cause it doth it self press always to­wards the Earth: or whether it be (as the Learned Isaac Vossius holds) from the Diurnal Motion of the Earth, whereby all heavy Bodies (which move with greater difficulty than light ones) tend to the middle or Center, and light Bodies are expel­led towards the Superficies or from the Center. But a man that would be very serious in Philosophizing, can hardly acquiesce in any of these Solutions. He is not hereby satis­fied how Non-gravitation can be and not be in a thing at the same time, as in Water in the Sea or in a Ri­ver: for it is heavy and presses down, and yet the parts do not gravitate; [Page 93] for 'tis known that those that dive, and are under so great a heap of Waters, yet feel it not upon them. Here must be [...], there must be acknowledged an other Cause besides those before menti­on'd (if they may be said to be Causes at all).

And accordingly I find that some of the most Judicious Philosophers of our own Nation have averr'd that a God, a Divine Incorporeal Substance may be evinced from the Phoenomena of Gravity. This is made good by strong and nervous Arguments in an ^* Undertaking of the Learned Dr. More. ^† Another Ripe-witted Naturalist positively determines, that the common Phoe­nomenon of Gravity is impossible to be explain'd by any natural operation of [Page 94] Matter, or any other law of Motion but the positive Will of a Superiour Being, so ordering it. And there is lately risen in our Horizon another Bright Philosophick Luminary, from whom we may expect Great Dis­coveries: it is his frank Acknow­ledgment that this wonderful Pro­perty of Bodies, whereby the World is tied and link'd together, and all things in it are kept from running back into their First Chaos and Confusion, and which consequent­ly is necessary for the welfare, yea the very subsistence of the Universe, is supernatural. ^* No power, saith he, of mere Nature can produce it: it surpasses all the Mechanism of Matter. And in several other Instances which might be offer'd, there may be seen a despair of resolving the nature of them by material Causes wholly. [Page 95] No meaner a Person than ^* Doctor Lower (who was voted by all the Faculty to be one of the most Ac­complish'd Anatomists of this Age) imputes the wonderful Motion of the Heart, and the Circulation of the Blood, to a Divine and Supernatu­ral Cause. He who was as well skill'd as any man in the Fabrick of the Parts and Vessels of the Body, and knew all the Springs of their Actions and Operations, was of opinion, that these could not be solv'd by any ordinary Principle. I mention this only to let the Rea­der see that some of the Bravest and Wisest Philosophers are forward to own a Divine Hand even in the Common Works of Nature. They do not think it below a Man of Philosophy to resolve some things into an Immaterial Principle. For [Page 96] a Pious and Christian Philosopher may plainly discern that there are some things above the Efforts of Matter and Motion.

It cannot be denied (whatever some are pleas'd to say to the contra­ry) that we live in as Learned Times as ever have been extant. All Arts and Sciences are improved even to a Prodigy; and particularly the Accessions which are made to Phi­losophy are very great and astonish­ing. But yet I must needs concur with that very Thoughtful and In­genious Gentleman before cited, who hath most truly told the World, that ^* without the notion and allowance of Spirits our Philosophy will be lame and defective in one main part of it, when it leaves out the Contemplation of the most Excel­lent and Powerful part of the Crea­tion, [Page 97] viz. those Immaterial Beings. And herein he follows all the Great and Renowned Philosophers of our Age, especially those of our own Country, as Dr. More, Sir Matthew Hale, Dr. Willis, Mr. Boyle, Mr. Ray, &c. who pretend not to solve all things in Philoso­phy by mere Natural Causes, who look not upon Man as a piece of Clockwork, but have frequent re­course to those Springs and Causes which are Spiritual and Incorpo­real, and sometimes to the imme­diate hand of the Almighty Him­self. To conclude then, let not the inestimable Blessing of Know­ledge and Learning which is so pe­culiar to this Age, make us forget­ful of the Grand Source and Spring of all operations and effects in Na­ture. Let us beware of those men who ascribe all the Phaenomena in [Page 98] the world to the power of the mo­dified matter, and will leave no­thing for God to do himself. Nei­ther let us think that to Philoso­phize is to jar with the Sacred Wri­tings, and to deny the very Natu­ral History of it. The Scoffers at a Deity never had a more hope­ful Harvest then since these Noti­ons have prevail'd. By this means it comes to pass that Philosophy, which is the Study of Wisdom, af­fronts the Truest and Highest Wis­dom; and even Natural Philosophy, which is one of the Choicest Ac­complishments of humane minds, leads men even to the denial of the Author of Nature.

No wise man will disapprove of a Latitude either in Philosophy, or in the dubious and controverted Points of Theology: but then here he must be upon his guard, for [Page 99] there are those that under the pre­tence of throwing off some preca­rious things in the Old Philoso­phy, and discarding the empty Spe­culations of the Schools cast off those Principles which are useful and sound: under the notion of the Advancements of Arts and Sciences, and the Improvement of the belles lettres, and carrying Learning up to a greater heighth, they in the mean time help to pull these down. Especially in Religion, under the colour of searching further than o­thers have done into Divine mat­ters they abandon some of the choicest Principles: under the pre­text of Reason and Good Sense they obtrude any New Conceit upon the world, and regard not the suffrage of the Holy Scriptures or of the Primitive Church. This they call a Rational Religion, and if [Page 100] you offer any thing against it, they cry it down as a Dream, a Romance, a Fable, a Phantom, an Hobgoblin, and (which is a word which they think comprehends all the rest) Priest-craft.

And here I might observe that among the Opinions which lead to Atheism, the denial of Daemons and Witches, which ^* of late hath so much prevail'd, is none of the least. For besides that this is an open defiance to unquestionable History, Experience and matter of Fact, and so introduces the worst sort of Scepticism (which is the high-way to Atheism) it is evident that this supplants the belief of Spiritual Beings or Substances: for Witchcraft and all Diabolick Trans­actions are disbeliev'd on the ac­count [Page 101] of the improbability, if not impossibility of Spirits. So that it is plain the rejecting of the being and commerce of Daemons or In­fernal Spirits opens a door to the denial of the Deity, of which we can no otherwise conceive than that it is an Eternal Spirit.

There are Other Doctrines which advance Atheism, and may be reck­on'd among the Dangerous Luxu­riances of these Inquisitive Times. Such is the vilifying of the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament, the proclaiming it to be faulty and er­roneous, in order to establishing the Seventy's Version as only Authen­tick. Such is the building the Authority of the Books of the Old Testament on the pretended inspi­ration of certain Publick Scribes or Notaries among the Iews, in imi­tation of such among the Egyptians; [Page 102] the avouching that the Leaves or Volumes on which those Books were wrote are misplaced and put out of order; the professed declaring that the Canonical Books are not the same that they were at first, but that several words and passages are left out. All mere Fiction and Con­ceit, unworthy of so Excellent a Genius as F. S's. Such also is the maintaining that the greatest part of the Religious Rites and Constituti­ons which God himself settled a­mong the Iews were a Transcript of those that were in use among the Idolatrous Pagan Nations, and that the All-Wise Lawgiver borrow'd those immediately from these. The two former of these Attempts null the Authority of the Sacred Writings, and the last of them disparages not only them but the Blessed Founder of the Jewish [Page 103] Oeconomy. I speak not this as if any of these Opinions can be thought to be True Reasons on which a man may ground his disesteem of the Scriptures, or of the Holy Do­ctrines contain'd in them, or of the Sacred Inditer of them; for they are the Sentiments but of a very few, and of those whose Learning, though it was exceeding great, had not wholly conquer'd their Preju­dice, or freed them from Misappre­hensions in some things. I cannot charge them with any direct design of favouring the Cause of Atheism, but ill-disposed men have made use of their Notions to that purpose. Wherefore, as we value the Repu­tation of our Religion, and the Honour of the Divine Author of it, let us be careful that we split not upon any of these Rocks, nor endanger our selves on any of the [Page 104] Shallows before mention'd, and thereby make Shipwrack of our Faith and Holy Profession, or so endanger our selves that we can hardly be brought off again.

I might in the last place take no­tice of a Plausible Conceit which hath been growing up to a conside­rable time, and now hath the for­tune to come to some maturity. Not to speak of its reception, (if not its birth) among some Foreign Authors, chiefly Socinians, it seem­ed among our selves to be favour'd by that Learned, but Wavering, Prelate who writ the Liberty of Pro­phesying, and afterwards by another of his Order who compos'd ^* The Naked Truth. Lately it hath been revived by the Author of the Naked Gospel: and since more particularly fully and distinctly it hath been [Page 105] maintain'd by the late Publisher of the Reasonableness of Christianity, as deliver'd in the Scriptures. He gives it us over and over again in these formal words, viz. that nothing is required to be believed by any Christian man but this, that Iesus is the Messiah. He contends that there is no other Article of Faith necessary to Salva­tion; this is a Full and Perfect Creed, and no person need concern himself in any other. This takes up about three quarters of his book, for he goes through the History of the Evangelists and the Acts of the Apostles, according to the order of Time (as he thinks) to give an account of this Proposition. But yet this Gentleman forgot, or ra­ther wilfully omitted a plain and obvious passage in one of the Evan­gelists, Go teach all nations, bapti­zing them in the name of the Father, [Page 106] and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Mat. 28. 19. From which it is plain, that all Proselites to Christianity, all that are adult Members of the Christian Church, must be taught, as well as baptized, into the Faith of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And if they must be taught this Doctrine (which is the peremptory Charge and Com­mission here given to the Apostles, Go teach, &c.) then it is certain that they must believe it, for this Teach­ing is in order to Belief. This will be denied by none, I suppose, and consequently more is required to be believed by Christian men, and Members of Christ's Church, than that Iesus is the Messiah. You see it is part of the Evangelical Faith, and such as is necessary, ab­solutely necessary, to make one a Member of the Christian Church, [Page 107] to believe a Trinity in Unity in the Godhead; or, in plainer terms, that though God is One as to his Essence and Nature, yet there are Three Persons in that Divine Essence, and that these Three Persons are really the One God: for we can't ima­gine that Men and Women should be required to be baptized into the Faith and Worship of any but the Only True God. This Epitomi­zer of the Evangelical Writings left out also that famous Testimony in Iohn 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word (Christ Jesus) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Whence we are obliged to yield as­sent to this Article, that Christ is the word of God. And there is add­ed in Verse 14. another indispensa­ble Point of Faith, viz. that the word was made Flesh, i. e. that God was Incarnate, the same with 1 Tim. [Page 108] 3. 16. God manifest in the Flesh. And it follows in the same Verse of this first Chapter of St. Iohn, that this VVord is the only begotten of the Father: whence we are bound to believe the Eternal, though in­effable, Generation of the Son of God. Our Author likewise takes no no­tice that we are commanded to be­lieve the Father and the Son, Joh. 14. 10, 11. and that the Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son, which expresses their Unity. This is made an Article of Faith by our Saviour's particular and express Command. And other eminent parts of Christian Belief this Writer passes by, without having any re­gard to them, and yet pretends to present the World with a Compleat and Entire Account of all that is the matter of our Faith under the Gospel. This cannot but seem ve­ry [Page 109] strange and unaccountable to any man of deliberate Thoughts, and who expects Sincerity from a Writer who makes some shew of it?

But this is not all; this Learn­ed Gentleman, who with so much industry amasses together Quotati­ons out of the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, yet is not pleas'd to proceed to the Epistles, and to give an Account of them as he did of the others; though the Epistles are as considerable a part of the New Te­stament as the Gospels and the Acts, and the Pen-men of them were e­qually inspired by the Holy Ghost. Can there be any Reason given of this partial dealing? Yes, it is most evident to any thinking and consi­derate person that he purposely o­mits the Epistolary VVritings of the Apostles because they are fraught [Page 110] with Other Fundamental Doctrines besides that One which he menti­ons. There we are instructed con­cerning these Grand Heads of Chri­stian Divinity, viz. the Corrupti­on and Degeneracy of Humane Na­ture, with the True Original of it (the Defection of our First Parents) the Propagation of Sin and Morta­lity, our Restoration and Recon­ciliation by Christ's Blood, the Eminency and Excellency of his Priesthood, the Efficacy of his Death, the full Satisfaction there­by made to the Divine Justice, and his being made an All-sufficient Sacrifice for Sin. Here are pecu­liar Discoveries concerning Christ's Righteousness, and our Justifi­cation by it, concerning Electi­on, Adoption, Sanctification, or the New Birth, and particularly Saving Faith, which is so signal [Page 111] a part of it. Here the Nature of the Gospel, and the New Cove­nant, the Riches of God's Mercy in the way of Salvation by Jesus Christ, the Certainty of the Resur­rection of Humane Bodies, and of the Future Glory, are fully display­ed. These are the Matters of Faith contain'd in the Epistles, and they are essential and integral parts of the Gospel it self: and therefore it is no wonder that our Author, be­ing sensible of this, would not vouchsafe to give us an Abstract of these Inspired Writings, but passes them by with some Con­tempt. And more especially (if I may conjecture) he doth this be­cause he knew that there are so ma­ny and Frequent, and those so il­lustrious and eminent Attestations to the Doctrine of the ever to be Adored Trinity in these Epistles.

[Page 112]Nor is this any uncharitable con­jecture, as the Reader may easily satisfie himself if he takes notice that this Writer interprets the Son of God to be no more than the Mes­siah: he expounds Iohn 14. 9. &c. after the Antitrinitarian mode, whereas generally Divines under­stand some part of those words concerning the Divinity of our Sa­viour. He makes Christ and Adam to be the Sons of God in the same senses, viz. by their Birth, as the Racovians generally do, and so he interprets Luke 1. 35. Iohn 5. 26. according to their Standard. When he proceeds to mention the Advan­tages and Benefits of Christ's Coming into the world, and appearing in the flesh, he hath not one syllable of his Satisfying for us, or by his Death purchasing Life and Salva­tion, or any thing that sounds like [Page 113] it. This and several other things which might be offered to the Reader, shew that he is all over Socinianized; and moreover that his design was to exclude the belief of the Blessed Trinity in this Under­taking of his, viz. to prove that the believing of Christ to be the Messiah is the only Point of Faith that is necessary and saying. All the other Articles and Doctrines must fall a sacrifice to the Darling Notion of the Antitrinitarians, namely that Christ is not the True God, and coessential with his Fa­ther. For the sake of this one Point they are all dispatch'd out of the world, and are made by him Mar­tyrs to this Cause. One could scarcely imagine that a person of Ingenuity and Good Sense should go this way to work. Which en­clines me to think that the Inge­nious [Page 114] Gentleman who is suppos'd by some to be the Author of this Treatise is not really so. I am apt to believe that the world is impos'd upon in this matter, for in this present Attempt there are none of those Noble Strokes which are vi­sible in that Person's Writings, and which have justly gain'd him a fair repute. That Vivacity of thought, that Elevation of mind, that Vein of Sense and Reason, yea and of Elocution too which runs through his Works are all extinct here: only he begins as 'twere to recover himself about the Close when he comes to speak of the Laws of Christian Morality. Some may attribute this Flatness to the Ill Cause he manages; but for my part, I question whether we have the right Author, I can't perswade my self but that there is an Error [Page 115] of the Person: at least I will cha­ritably presume so, because I have so good an opinion of the Gentle­man who writ of Humane Under­standing and Education.

But what is the ground of the foresaid Assertion? What makes him contend for One Single Arti­cle, with the Exclusion of all the rest? He pretends it is this, that all men ought to understand their Religion. And I agree with him in this; but I ask him, may not a man understand those Articles of Faith which I mention'd out of the Gospel and Epistles, if they be ex­plain'd to him, as well as that One which he speaks of? Why then must there be but One Article, and no more? But he, notwith­standing this, goes on, and urges that there must be nothing in Chri­stianity that is not plain, and ex­actly [Page 116] level to all mens Mother-wit and common apprehension. For ^* God considered the poor of the world, and the bulk of mankind: the Christi­an Religion is suited to vulgar capaci­ties, and hath only ^* such Articles as the labouring and illiterate man may comprehend. The Writers and Wran­glers in Religion fill it with Niceties, and dress it up with Notions, (viz. the Trinity, Christ's Satisfaction, &c.) which they make necessary and fundamental parts of it. But the bulk of mankind have not leisure for Learn­ing and Logick: and therefore there must be no such doctrine as that concerning the Trinity, the Incarna­tion of the Son of God, and the like, which are above the capacity and comprehension of the Vulgar. And in the Entrance of his book he hath the same notion, for he tells us that [Page 117] the Scriptures are a collection of wri­tings designed by God for the instracti­on of the illiterate bulk of mankind, (for he is much taken with this phrase, you see, the bulk of mankind) whereby he understands the Igno­rant and Unlearned Multitude, the Mob, as he calls it in another place. Surely this Gentleman is afraid of Captain Tom, and is going to make a Religion for his Myrmidons: and to please them he gives them as little of this kind as he possibly can, he contracts all into One Ar­ticle, and will trouble them with no more. Now then the sum of all that he aims at is this, that we must not have any Point of Doctrine whatsoever in our Religion that the Mob doth not at the very first naming of it perfectly understand and agree to. We are come to a fine pass indeed: the Venerable [Page 118] Mob must be ask'd what we must believe: and nothing must be re­ceiv'd as an Article of Faith but what those Illiterate Clubmen vote to be such. The Rabble are no System-makers, no Creed-makers; and therefore away with Systems and Creeds, and let us have but One Article, though it be with the defiance of all the rest, which are of equal necessity with that One.

Towards the close of his En­terprise he hath a fling (and that a Shrewd one) at the Dissenters, telling them that ^* their Congregati­ons and their Teachers understand not the Controversies at this time so warm­ly manag'd among them. Nay the Teachers themselves have been pleas'd to make him their Confessor, and to acknowledge to him that [Page 119] they understand not the difference in de­bate between them. Why? because they (as well as the Conformists) have Obscure Notions and Specu­lations, such as Iustification, the Trinity, Satisfaction, &c. terms that all the bulk of mankind are unac­quainted with: whereas Religion should have no Difficulties and My­steries in it. The very Manner of every thing in Christianity must be clear and intelligible, every thing must be presently compre­hended by the weakest noddle, or else it is no part of Religion, espe­cially of Christianity, which yet is call'd the ^* Mystery of Godliness: but this being in the Epistles, it is no great matter; we are not to mind what they say.

Thus we see what is the Rea­son why he reduces all Belief to [Page 120] that one Article before rehearsed: as if the other Main Points which I produced were not as easily learnt and understood as This; as if there were any thing more difficult in this Proposition [The Father, Son and Holy Ghost are One God, or Divine Nature] than in that other [Jesus is the Messiah]. Tru­ly if there be any Difficulty, it is in this latter, for here is an He­brew word first to be explain'd be­fore the Mob (as he stiles it) can understand the Proposition. Why therefore doth this Author, who thinks it absurd ^* to talk Ara­bick to the Vulgar, talk Hebrew to them, unless he be of opinion (which no body else is of) that they understand this Language bet­ter than that? Or, suppose he tells the Rabble that Messiah signi­fies [Page 121] Anointed, what then? Unless he explains that word to them, it is still unintelligible. So that it appears hence that this Article which he hath spent so much time about, is no more level to the un­derstanding of the Vulgar then that of the Holy Trinity, yea it is not so much.

To conclude, this Gentleman and his fellows are resolved to be Unitarians; they are for One Arti­cle of Faith, as well as One Person in the Godhead; and there is as much reason for one as the other, that is, none at all. But it doth not become me perhaps to pro­nounce this so peremptorily, and therefore I appeal to the Judicious and Impartial Reader; desiring him to judge of what I have sug­gested. But this I will say, if these Learned men were not highly [Page 122] prejudiced and prepossessed, they would discern the Evil and Mis­chief of their Assertion: they would perceive that when the Catholick Faith is thus brought down to One Single Article, it will soon be re­duced to none: the Unit will dwindle into a Cypher.

The Proper Remedy here is to consider that it is unlawful ^* to add unto, or diminish ought from the Written Word: yea, a Curse is threatned against those that ^† add to or take away from the Scriptures; for if it be criminal, and deserves a Curse to deal thus with the book of Deuteronomy or of the Revelation, then by the same reason those that add to or detract from any other part of the Holy Scriptures are undeniably guilty, and are obnox­ious to the Divine Plagues. I [Page 123] hope such as practise the latter will seriously think of it, and for the future believe themselves concern'd to embrace All the necessary and fundamental Articles of Faith, as well as One of them.

Thus I have briefly discover'd the Springs and Sources of Atheism, and I have endeavour'd all along (more or less) to stop them up, and hinder the current of them. Now, for the close of all, let me add these Inferences from the whole,

I. We ought to bewail the spreading Atheism of this Age wherein we live. Of old there were but few that openly pro­fess'd it. There are reckon'd up four several sorts or forms of A­theism by a late ^* Learned Wri­ter, viz. Anaximandrian, Democri­tick, Stoical, Stratonical, and yet [Page 124] there was scarcely one of these that was a downright denying of a God. Some have given Diagoras, Theodo­rus, Protagoras, the title of Atheists, and have thought them to be abso­lutely such: but others, upon a strict search, are of opinion, that they deserv'd not that infamous Name; yea, they find that they were great Asserters of a Deity. The first of these was accused of Atheism, and banish'd for it by the Athenians; not that he denied a God, but because he derided the Feigned Gods of his time, whom the Athe­nians had such a reverence for. The second passes for an Atheist; but those who have narrowly enquired into things tell us, that he got that Name because he spoke against the Idolatrous Worship of the Greci­ans, and had a kindness (it is pro­bable) for another Religion: for [Page 125] being a Cyrenian, and acquainted with King Ptolomee, he came to have some Intercourse with the Iews of Alexandria, and had some notice of the True God. The third was reputed and call'd by some an Atheist because he doubt­ed of the Truth and Reality of the Gentile Gods. So Anaxagoras (ano­ther Greek Philosopher) was ar­raign'd for Atheism by the Atheni­ans because he denied the Sun to be God, and freely discours'd against the other Pagan Deities. Thus the malicious Accusers of Socrates repre­sented him as an Enemy to the Gods: part of the Crime charged on him, and for which he was condemn'd, was his speaking against the Traditions and Fables of the Poets concerning the Gods, and his declaring them to be lewd and wicked. To give this Great Man [Page 126] his due, he was so far from being an Atheist, that he died a Martyr for a Deity. Only to gratifie the Vulgar, and that he might not go off unlamented, after he had drank his Poison he requested his Friends to offer a Cock for him to Aescula­pius. Some put Democritus into the Catalogue of the Ancient Atheists, but if we read his Life in Laertius, we shall find that they have little reason to do so. Lucretius is the most suspicious man of all, and Lu­cian may be join'd with him, the former a serious, the latter a jocu­lar Atheist.

But it is sad to consider that the number of this sort of men hath been exceedingly augmented since. ^* David Perron undertook in the presence of King Henry the Third of France, to prove that there is [Page 127] no God. Mersennus, in his Com­mentary on Genesis, tells us, that in the Year when he wrote it, viz. 1623. there was a vast multitude of them in France: there were at least fifty thousand Atheists in the City of Paris at that time, and in one house sometimes a dozen were to be found. A worthy ^* Author, whom I had occasion to mention before, acquaints us on his own Knowledge, that Atheism was ve­ry common and rampant in most parts of Italy. Not to mention Machiavel, Aretine, &c. it cannot be denied that Vanenus openly de­clared and profess'd himself an A­theist, and died so at the Stake. Indeed I am apt to suspect those who tell us there are scarcely any of this Perswasion in the World. Thus ^† one declares that he hath [Page 128] travelled many Countries, yet could ne­ver meet with any Atheists, which are few if any: all the noise and clamour is against Castles in the Air, i. e. such and no other he fancies them to be. But to come nearer, our Own Na­tion hath produced too many of this kind. Even in this Civilized Christian Protestant Country there are those that are infected with this Cursed Infidelity, and defie all Re­ligion and a God. It is an unque­stionable Truth, that there are in this great City of the Kingdom constant Cabals and Assemblies of Profess'd Atheists, where they de­bate the Great Point of the Exi­stence of an Infinite Spirit that go­verns the World, and in the close determine in the Negative. I have sometime accidentally happen'd in­to the Company of, and held Dis­course with some that acknowledge they belong to that Society; and [Page 129] they have not been ashamed to own whatever is done in it. Mr. Hobbes is their Great Master and Lawgi­ver. I find that they pay a huge reverence to him. If they acknow­ledge any Divine Thing, it is He. If they own any Scriptures, they are his Writings. The Language that I lately met with from the mouth of one that was, I suppose, a Well­wisher (according to his poor abili­ty) to Mr. Hobbes's Mathematicks, was this, His Leviathan is the best Book in the world next to the Bible: He himself was a Man of great Piety, and is spoken against by none but the Priests. And whom do they (for this man speaks the sense of the rest) mean by Priests but the Ministers of Religion? So they would have a Bi­ble and Piety without these; which is as much as to say, they would have neither of them. But indeed this man had a way of being some­thing [Page 130] more plausible than his Fel­lows, and would vouchsafe to men­tion the Bible and Piety, and there­by seem as it were to allow of such things; whereas Others are wont to laugh at them as well as at the Per­sons they call Priests, for they go together. I may say truly, it is grown Fashionable to deride what­ever is Sacred, and to talk like an Atheist. In some Companies it shall be question'd whether a Person be a Gentleman if he does not give Proofs of his being Prophane. To defend the wildest Principles, and to ridicule Religion, is counted one certain mark of a Wit. He that doth not shew his Raillery against Virtue and Goodness, and speaks not contemptibly of God and Re­ligion, is not a Man of Parts. This is the Sentiment and Perswasion of a great part of this Nation. I would not libel the Land of our Nativity; [Page 131] yea, I rather heartily wish that what I have said on this occasion might receive a Confutation. But it is too evident that I speak truth; it is too manifest to be denied that there are every where confiderable numbers of men who openly re­nounce the Existence of God. Da­vid's Atheist was modest, and on­ly said in his Heart, There is no God; on which account some Atheistical Spirits now-a-days may think per­haps he deserved the Title of Fool which the Psalmist gives him. But these count themselves a Wiser rank of Atheists, because they say this with their mouths, and speak it aloud, audibly proclaiming their Opinion, and being very zealous to gain Pro­selytes to it.

2. Let us abhor the Converse and Society of those Persons whom we know to be of this Character. And truly they are very common every [Page 132] where. It is prodigious to see how they daily encrease. There is scarce­ly a Town where there are not some that may justly be reckon'd in this number. Do not mistake me. There are some deluded People who are apt to censure all as Atheists that are not of their way. The ^* Primitive Christians were thus stigmatized, and usually called by that name be­cause they did not comply with the Pagan Worship and Usages. If a man discourses not according to some mens fond Notions and Bigo­tisms; if he speaks against their superstitious Practices, he present­ly hath this Brand set upon him. There are those that call all Persons Atheists and Hypocrites that hold not the same Principles with themselves. Yea, if a man be a great Student in Philosophy, some weaker People may be apt to fix this Character on [Page 133] him. As heretofore all that had skill in Mathematicks were said and thought to deal in Art Magick; so in the opinion of some at this day men of great Art and Learning are voted Atheists by them, and almost every Physician hath this Censure past on him by men of weak minds. But I hope none of those I now speak to are so unwise and weak, or at least not so uncharitable and cen­sorious as to bestow this Ignomini­ous Epither on those to whom it doth not belong. By an Atheist or a person very much disposed to be so, I mean one that hath an Enmi­ty to the very notion of a Divine Infinite Being, a Supreme Immate­rial Substance, that is the Soveraign Author of Nature, and the First Cause of all things, from whom all things were, and on whom they depend. I mean such a one as owns no Allegiance to this Divine Ruler [Page 134] and Soveraign, and in his Words and Actions discovers this to the World. And accordingly he is one that acknowledges not the Infinite Power, Wisdom, Goodness, and Justice of God in the Government of all things: he speaks irreverently of all that appertains to Religion and Godliness: he laughs at the profound Mysteries and sublime Doctrines of Christianity: he en­deavours always to diminish the esteem of Sacred things: yea, he will be jesting and drolling on them if he hath any Talent that way. If he be open-hearted, and not upon the Reserve, he will tell them that Religion is a mere Invention of Po­litick Heads to awe the Multitude, and to keep the World in good or­der. He is one that blasts Religi­on with the ignominious Title of a Popular Cheat, and labours to per­swade others to do the like. Where [Page 119] you find these Characters in any person, you may conclude without breach of Charity, that he is an Atheist.

And it is the Company of such that I exhort you to beware of, and wholly to avoid. It is almost incre­dible that such great numbers should be every day led away with this Ig­nis Fatuus, and plung'd into Bogs and Mire, never to be pluck'd out thence. Therefore take heed what Society you mingle your selves with in this Dangerous Age. Sit not with the known Despisers of God and Religion, for they will insensibly instill their poison into you. By fre­quent associating with them you will learn to resemble them. Where­fore fly from them as from a Ser­pent, and be not prevail'd with by any Entreaties or Threats to hold Correspondence with them. Assure your selves of this, that the Title of [Page 120] Atheist is the most Reproachful and Detestable one imaginable, though some of late who glory in their shame entertain other thoughts. Nay, some of these Persons seem to be partly sensible of it, and change the name into that of Deist. At this day Atheism it self is slily call'd De­ism by those that indeed are Atheists. Though they retain the things, yet they would disguise it by a false Name, and thereby hide the Hei­nousness of it. But let us not be deceived and blinded by pretended Shews, but throughly apprehend the Vileness of this Opinion which some endeavour to palliate. It is a very denying the Creed of Nature, it is a Renuntiation of that which the very Devils believe, and trem­ble at. It is briefly but fully repre­sented in St. Cyprian's words, ^* This [Page 121] (saith he) is the sum of this most bei­nous Crime, that those who are guilty of it wilfully refuse to acknowledge Him whom they cannot be ignorant of. For their own Beings and Natures fur­nish them with Arguments for a God: and if they did not obsti­nately shut their eyes, they must needs behold a Deity. Therefore to be Atheists, or without God in the world (as the ^* Apostle speaks) can­not but be a Great Prodigy; it is Unaccountable almost (if the De­generacy of Manking were not so great as it is) that the World it self should not administer to mens Thoughts Convictive Arguments of a Divinity. Whence it hath been observ'd by a very Wise Man, that there never was any Miracle wrought by God to convert an Atheist, because the Light of Na­ture might have led him to confess [Page 122] a God. This shews how detestable and pernicious Atheism is; and much more might be said to this purpose. Wherefore I hope I need not multi­ply words when I call upon you to keep out of the Company of those men who you know are infected with this hellish Poison.

3. Let us labour to work in our selves and others a profound Sense of that Great God with whom we have to do. Generally the Belief of a Deity is from Custom and Edu­cation, because it is the Perswasion of the Place and the Persons we converse with: but we should not content our selves with this, but arrive to the Knowledge of the true Grounds and Reasons of this Belief. Seeing this is the First thing in Religion, and no Man can be Re­ligious and Vertuous unless he be­lieves there is a God, let us fortifie our Minds against Atheism by those [Page 123] several Arguments and Considerations which are wont to be propounded by Learned and Religious ^* Writers: that we may as throughly be per­swaded of this Great Truth as of our own Being, which a Great Phi­losopher makes one of his First and Indubitable Principles.

But especially view the Works of the Creation, and perswade your selves of this, that a Material World without an Immaterial Cause of it, is mere Nonsnse. Look abroad, and behold the Heavens and the Earth, and all the Furniture of them; there you may believe a Dei­ty, because you do as 'twere see it. The Creator is made visible by his Works. Every thing in the Sensible World is an ^† Image, a Picture, a [Page 124] Footstep of the Deity. From this Exquisite Fabrick we infallibly ga­ther the Existence of its All-wise Ar­chitect and Moderator. Of which I shall give the Reader a particular Demonstration in a short time And that you may effectually extir­pate Atheism out of your minds, frequently peruse the H. Scriptures. Read God in his own Book. There you will certainly inform your selves concerning the Superintendence of Spiritual or Immaterial Agents, viz. Angels, which makes way for the Belief of a God, who is a Spirit. There you will meet with those Wonderful Operations and Events which can no ways be solv'd with­out granting an Omnipotent and All-wise Disposer of things. And there you will find this Supreme Governour of the World commu­nicating his Will and Pleasure to Mankind. I question not but one [Page 125] great Reason (and I might have mention'd it among the rest) why men are so disposed to be Atheists, is because they never, or very sel­dom, consult this Holy Volume: they refuse to hear God Himself speaking to them in these Writings. Wherefore I recommend to you the serious and frequent reading of the Bible as the most effectual means to confirm you in the Belief of a Deity. Assure your selves that this Book is the best Antidote against Atheism.

4. and lastly, Labour to be tru­ly Religious and Holy; beg the Divine Assistance to sanctifie you in your Hearts and Lives; and thereby you will be let into the in­timate knowledge of this Grand Verity which I have been discour­sing of. You will then more sensi­bly understand and be convinced of it than by all the Arguments that [Page 126] can be offer'd: or rather, this one will make all the rest effectual. Whereas on the contrary, Men of Unsanctified Minds and Profane Lives despise and scoff at that of which they have no experience, and will not believe the Existence and Power of God which they never felt: Strive then by an Inward Ex­periment to confute Atheism: so that you may not have any Inclina­tion to say in your hearts (though you do not utter it with your tongues) There is no God, but that you may be so strongly convinced of the contrary Truth that you may be able to assert it with a firm and unshaken Belief, and from an inter­nal sense of it on your hearts, to attest the reality of it to the whole World.