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SER M. mortality of the foul; and future rewards after this CCXXIV life. I fhall offer thefe two confiderations.

Firft, that it is most reasonable so to do.

Secondly, that it is infinitely most prudent.

I. As to the being of GoD. Do but confider these two things, which are undeniable; that there is a world, however it came; and that mankind do generally consent in a confident perfuafion that there is a God, whatever be the caufe of it. Now thefe two things being certain, and not liable to any queftion, let us enquire whether a reasonable account can be given of thefe without a GOD.

1. Suppofing there be no GOD, how came this vaft and orderly frame of the world! There are but two ways that can be imagined. Either it was from eternity always of itself; or it became fome time to be. That it fhould be always of itfelf; though it may be imagined of the heavens and the earth, which as to the main are permanent, and continue the fame; yet in things that fucceed one after another, it is altogether unimaginable. As in the generation of men, there can be no doubt, whether every one of them was from another, or fome of themselves. Some of them must be of themselves: for whatever number of caufes be imagined in orderly fucceffion, fome of them must have no cause, but be of themselves. Now that which is of itself, and the cause of all others, is the firft. So that there muft be a firft man; and the age of man being finite, this firft man muft have a beginning. So, that an infinite fucceffion of men fhould have been, is impoffible; and confequently, that men were always. But I need not infift much upon this, because few or noné of our modern atheifts pitch upon this way. Befides, that Ariftotle, who is reputed the great afferter of the

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eternity of the world, doth acknowledge an infinite S ER M. progrefs and fucceffion of caufes to be one of the CCXXIV. greatest abfurdities.

Suppose then the world began some time to be; it muft either be made by counfel and defign, that is, produced by fome being that knew what it did, that did contrive and frame it as it is; which it is easy to conceive a being that is infinitely good, and wife, and powerful, might do; but this is to own a GOD: or else the matter of it being fupposed to have been always, and in continual motion and tumult, it at laft happened to fall into this order, and the parts of matter, after various agitations, were at length entangled and knit together in this order, in which we fee the world to be. But can any man think this reasonable to imagine, that in the infinite variety which is in the world, all things fhould happen by chance, as well and as orderly as the greatest wisdom could have contrived them? Whoever can believe this, must do it with his will, and not with his understanding.

But seeing it must be granted, that fomething is of itself, how eafy is it to grant fuch a being to be of itfelf, as hath other perfections proportionable to neceffary existence; that is infinitely good, and wife, and powerful? and there will be no difficulty in conceiving how fuch a being as this could make the world.

2. This likewife is undeniable, that mankind do generally confent in a confident perfuafion that there is a God, whatever was the caufe of this. Now the' reafon of fo universal a confent in all places and ages of the world, must be one, and conftant: but no one' and conftant reafon of this can be given, unless it be from the frame and nature of man's mind and underftanding,

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SER M. ftanding, which hath the notion of a Deity stampt upon it; or, which is all one, hath such an underftanding, as will in it's own free use and exercise find out a GOD. And what more reasonable than to think, that if we be God's workmanship, he should fet this mark of himself upon us, that we might know to whom we belong? and I dare fay, that this account must be much more reasonable and fatisfac tory to any indifferent man, than to refolve this univerfal confent into tradition, or state-policy, both which are liable to inexplicable difficulties, as I have elsewhere fhewn at large *.

II. As to the immortality of the foul. Suppofing a GOD, who is an infinite Spirit; it is eafy to imagine the poffibility of a finite fpirit, and fuppofing the goodness of GOD, no man can doubt, but that when he made all things, he would make fome beft, and the fame goodnefs which moved him to make things, would be a reafon to continue thofe things for the longest duration they are capable of.

III. As to future rewards. Suppofing the holiness and juftice of GOD, that "he loves righteoufnefs, "and hates iniquity;" and that he is the magiftrate and governor of the world, and concerned to countenance goodnefs, and difcourage fin; and confidering the promiscuous difpenfation of his providence in this world, and "how all things happen alike to "all" it is moft reasonable to conclude, that after this life, men fhall be punished and rewarded.

Secondly, it is infinitely moft prudent. In matters of great concernment a prudent man will incline. to the fafeft fide of the queftion. We have confidered which fide of these questions is most reasonable:

See vol. I. ferm. I. where the arguments here briefly named, are handled at large.

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let us now think which is fafeft. For it is certainly S ERM. moft prudent to incline to the fafeft fide of the queftion. Suppofing the reafons for, and against the principles of religion were equal, yet the danger and hazard is fo unequal, as would fway a prudent man to the affirmative. Suppofe a man believe there is no GOD, nor life after this; and fuppofe he be in the right, but not certain that he is (for that, I am fure, in this cafe is impoffible) all the advantage he hath by this opinion, relates only to this world and this prefent time: for he cannot be the better for it when he is not. Now what advantage will it be to him in this life he fhall have the more liberty to do what he pleaseth; that is, it furnisheth him with a stronger temptation to be intemperate, and lustful, and unjust; that is, to do thofe things which prejudice his body and health, which cloud his reafon, and darken his understanding, which will make him enemies in the world, and will bring him into danger. So that it is no advantage to any man to be vicious and yet this is the greateft ufe that is made of atheistical principles; to comfort men in their vicious courfes. But if thou haft a mind to be virtuous, and temperate, and juft, the belief of the principles of religion will be no obftacle, but a furtherance to thee in this course. All the advantage a man can hope for by disbelieving the principles of religion, is to escape trouble and perfecuction in this world, which may happen to him on account of religion. But fuppofing there be a GOD, and a life after this; then what a vaft difference is there of the confequences of these opinions! as much as between finite and infinite, time and eternity.

Secondly, to perfuade men to believe the fcriptures, I only offer this to men's confideration. If there be

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SERM. a GOD, whofe providence governs the world and all CCXXIV; the creatures in it, is it not reasonable to think that

he hath a particular care of men, the nobleft part of this visible world? and feeing he hath made them capable of eternal duration? that he hath provided for their eternal happiness, and fufficiently revealed to them the way to it, and the terms and conditions of it? Now let any man produce any book in the world that pretends to be from God, and to do this; that for the matter of it is fo worthy of God, the doctrines whereof are fo ufeful, and the precepts fo reasonable, and the arguments fo powerful, the truth of all which was confirmed by fo many great and unqueftionable miracles, the relation of which hath been transmitted to posterity in public and authentic records, written by those who were eye and ear witneffes of what they wrote, and free from fufpicion of any worldly intereft and defign; let any produce a book like this, in all these refpects; and which, over and besides, hath by the power and reasonablenefs of the doctrines contained in it, prevailed fo miraculously in the world, by weak and inconfiderable means, in oppofition to all the wit and power of the world, and under fuch difcouragements, as no other religion was ever affaulted with; let any man bring forth fuch a book, and he hath my leave to believe it as foon as the bible. But if there be none fuch, as I am well affured there is not, then every one that thinks God hath revealed himself to men, ought to embrace and entertain the doctrine of the holy fcriptures, as revealed by GOD.

And now having prefented men with fuch arguments and confiderations as are proper, and I think fufficient to induce belief, I think it not unreasonable to entreat and urge men diligently and impartially

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