figning all pretences to future happiness; which, when a man is once extinguished by death, he cannot be supposed either to want or defire; than to be tied up by commandments and rules fo contrary to flesh and blood; to y take up one's cross, to deny himself, and refufe the fatisfaction of natural defires. This indeed is the true language of Atheism, and the cause of it too. Were not this at the bottom, no man in his wits could contemn and ridicule the expectation of immortality. Now what power or influence can religion have upon the minds of these men, while not only their affections and lufts, but their fuppofed interest shall plead against it? But, if we can once filence this powerful advocate, we shall without much difficulty carry the cause at the bar of impartial reafon.

Now here is a notorious inftance of the folly of Atheists, that while they repudiate all title to the kingdom of heaven, merely for the prefent pleasure of body, and their boasted tranquillity of mind, befides the extreme madness in running fuch a defperate hazard after death, (which I will not now treat of,) they deprive themselves here of that very pleasure and tranquillity they feek for. For I fhall now endeayour to fhew, that religion itself gives us the

Mark viii. 34.

greatest

greatest delights and advantages even in this life also, though there should prove in the event to be no refurrection to another. z Her ways

are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths

are peace.

But, before I begin that, I must occur to one fpecious objection both against this proposition and the past part of my discourse; namely, that religion doth perpetually haunt and difquiet us with dismal apprehenfions of everlasting burnings in hell; and that there is no shelter or refuge from thofe fears, but behind the principles of Atheism.

(1.) First therefore I will freely acknowledge to the Atheists, that fome part of what hath been faid is not directly conclufive against them, if they fay, that, before they revolted from the faith, they had finned away, all expectation of ever arriving at heaven; and confequently had good reason fo joyfully to receive the news of annihilation by death, as an advantageous change for the everlasting torments of the damned. But, because I cannot expect that they will make fuch a fhamelefs and fenfelefs confeffion, and fupply us with that invincible argument against themfelves; I must say again, that to prefer final extinction before a happy immortality does

;

declare the most deplorable stupidity of mind. Nay, although they should confefs that they believed themselves to be reprobates before they disbelieved religion, and took Atheism as a fanctuary and refuge from the terrors of hell yet ftill the imputation of folly will stick upon them, inasmuch as they chofe Atheism as an opiate to still thofe frightening apprehenfions by inducing a dulness and lethargy of mind, rather than they would make use of that active and falutary medicine, a hearty repentance; that they did not know the ariches of the goodnefs, and forbearance, and long-fuffering of God; and that a fincere amendment of life was never too late, Jefus Chrift being the Saviour of all men, and a propitiation for the fins of the whole world; who came into the world to fave finners, even the chief of them all; and died for the ungodly, and his bittereft enemies.

b

(2.) And, fecondly, as to the fears of damnation; thofe terrors are not to be charged upon religion itself, which proceed either from the 'want of religion, or fuperftitious mistakes about it. For as an honeft and innocent man doth know the punishments which the laws of his country denounce against felons, and

* Rom. ii. 4.

1 Tim. iv. 10. 1 John v. 14. 1 Tim. i. 15. Rom. v.

6, 10. murderers,

murderers, and traitors, without being terrified or concerned at them; fo a Chriftian, in truth as well as in name, though he believe the confuming vengeance prepared for the disobedient and unbelievers, is not at all difmayed at the apprehenfions of it. Indeed it adds fpurs and gives wings to his diligence; it excites him to work out his falvation with fear and trembling; a religious and ingenuous fear, that is tempered with hope and with love and unspeakable joy. But he knows, that, if he fears him who is able to deftroy both foul and body in hell, he needs not fear that his own foul or body fhall ever go thither.

C

I allow that fome debauched and profligate wretches, or fome defigning perfidious hypocrites, that are religious in outward profeffion, but corrupt and abominable in their works, are most justly as well as ufually liable to these horrors of mind. It is not my business to defend or excufe fuch as thefe; I must leave them, as long as they keep their hardness and impenitent hearts, to thofe gnawing and excruciating fears, thofe whips of the divine Nemefis, that frequently fcourge even Atheists themselves. For the Atheists alfo can never wholly extinguish those horrible forebodings of confcience. They endeavour indeed to com

c Phil. ii. 12.

d. Matth. x. 28.

C 3

pose

e

pofe and charm their fears, but a thousand occafions daily awaken the fleeping tormentors. Any flight confideration either of themselves, or of any thing without; whatsoever they think on, or whatsoever they look on; all administer some reasons for fufpicion and diffidence, left poffibly they may be in the wrong; and then it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. There are they in great fear, as it is in the fifth verse of this Pfalm, under terrible prefages of f judgment and fiery indignation. Neither can they fay, that these terrors, like tales about spectres, may disturb fome small pretenders and puny novices, but dare not approach the vere adepti, the mafters and rabbies of Atheism: g for it is well known both from ancient and modern experience, that the very boldest of them, out of their debauches and company, when they chance to be furprised with folitude or fickness, are the most suspicious and timorous and defpondent wretches in the world: and that the boasted happy Atheist in the indolence of body, and an undisturbed calm and ferenity of mind, is altogether as rare a creature as the vir Sapiens was among the Stoics; whom they often met with in idea and defcription, in harangues and in books, but freely owned that

Heb. x. 31.

f Heb. x. 27.

Cic. Plutarch, &c. he