PREFACE. S we are at War with the Power, it were well if we were at War with the Manners, of France. A Land of Levity, is a Land of Guilt. A Serious Mind is the native Soil of every Virtue; and the fingle Character that does true Honour to Mankind. The Soul's Immortality has been the favourite Theme with the Serious of all Ages. Nor is it ftrange; it is a Subject by far the most Interesting, and Important, that can enter the Mind of Man. Of highest Moment this Subject always was, and always will be. Yet this its highest Moment feems to admit of Increase, at this Day; a Sort of occafional Importance is fuperadded to the natural Weight of it; if that Opinion which is advanced in the Preface to the preceding Night, be Juft. It is there fuppofed, that all our Infidels, whatever Scheme, for Argument's Sake, ard to keep themselves in Countenance, they patronize, are betray'd into their deplorable Error, by fome Doubt of their Immortality, at the Bottom. And the more I confider this Point, the more am I perfuaded of the Truth of that Opinion. Tho' the Diftruft of a Futurity is a ftrange Error; yet is it an Error into which Bad Men may naturally be diftreffed. For it is impoffible to bid Defiance to final Ruin, without fome Refuge in Imagination, fome Prefumption of Efcape. And what Prefumption is there? There are but Two in Nature; but Two, within the Compass of Human Thought. And thefe are,-That either GOD will not, or can not punish. Confidering the Divine Attributes, the First is too grofs to be digefted by our strongest Wishes. M 2 And And fince Omnipotence is as much a Divine Attribute as Holiness, that GOD cannot punish, is as abfurd a Suppofition as the Former. GOD certainly can punish, as long as the wicked Man exifts.. In Non-existence, therefore, is their only Refuge; and, confequently, Non-existence is their Strongest Wish. And Strong Wishes have a strange Influence on our Opinions; they bias the Judgment in a manner, almoft, incredible. And fince on this Member of their Alternative, there are fome very fmall Appearances in their Favour, and none at all on the other, they catch at this Reed, they lay hold on this Chimera, to fave themselves from the Shock, and Horror, of an immediate, and abfolute, Despair. On reviewing my Subject, by the Light which this Argument, and others of like Tendency, threw upon it, I was more inclin'd, than ever, to pursue it, as it appear'd to me to strike directly at the main Root of all our Infidelity. In the following Pages, it is, accordingly, pursued at large; and fome Arguments for Immortality, new (at least, to me), are ventured on in them. There also the Writer has made an Attempt to fet the gross Abfurdities and Horrors of Annihilation in a fuller and more affecting View, than is (I think) to be met with elsewhere, The Gentlemen, for whofe Sake this Attempt was chiefly made, profefs great Admiration for the Wisdom of Heathen Antiquity: What Pity 'tis, they are not fincere! If they were fincere, how would it mortify them to confider, with what Contempt, and Abhorrence, their Notions would have been received, by Those whom they fo much admire? What Degree of Contempt, and Abhorrence, would fall to their Share, may be conjectured by the following Matter of Fait (in my Opinion), extremely memorable. Of all their Hea then Worthies, Socrates ('tis well known) was the most Guarded, Difpaffionate, and Compofed: Yet this great Mafter Mafter of Temper was angry: and angry at his Laft Hour; and angry with his Friend; and angry for what deferv'd Acknowledgment, angry, for a right and tender Instance of true Friendship towards Him. Is not this surprising? What could be the Caufe? The Caufe was for his Honour ; it was a truly noble, tho', perhaps, a too punctilious, Regard for Immortality: For his Friend afking Him, with fuch an affectionate Concern as became a Friend, "Where "He fhould depofit his Remains ?" it was refented by Socrates, as implying a difhonourable Suppofition, that He could be fo mean, as to have Regard for any thing, even in Himfelf, that was not IMMORTAL. This Fact well confider'd, would make our Infidels withdraw their Admiration from Socrates; or make them endeavour, by their Imitation of this illuftrious Example, to share bis Glory: And, confequently, It would incline them to perufe the following Pages with Candor and Impartiality: Which is all I defire; and that, for their Sakes: For I am perfuaded, that an unprejudiced Infidel muft, neceffarily, receive fome advantageous Impreffions from them. July 7. 1744. M 3 CON CONTENTS. I N the Sixth Night Arguments were drawn from NATURE, in Proof of Immortality: Here, others are drawn from MAN: From his Difcontent, p. 184; from his Paffions and Powers, 186; from the gradual Growth of Reason, ibid.; from his Fear of Death, 187; from the Nature of Hope, 188; and of Virtue, 188, &c. from Knowlege, and Love, as being the most effential Properties of the Soul, 193; from the Order of Creation, 194; from the Nature of Ambition, 196, &c. Avarice, 200; Pleasure, 201. A Digreffion on the Grandeur of the Paffions, 202. Immortality alone renders our prefent State intelligible. 203. An Objection from the Stoics Disbelief of Immortality, anfwered, 204, 205, &c. Endless Questions unrefölvable, but on Suppofition of our Immortality, 206, &c. The natural, most melancholy, and pathetic Complaint of a Worthy Man under the Perfuafion of no Futurity, 207, &c. The grofs Abfurdities and Horrors of Annihilation urg'd home on LoRENZO, 213, &c. The Soul's vaft Importance, 220, &c. from whence it arifes, 223, &c. The Difficulty of being an Infidel, 226. The Infamy, ibid. The Cause, 227, and the Character, 228, of an Infidel-State. What True Free-thinking is, 229, &c. The neceffary Punishment of the Falfe, 231, 232. Man's Ruin is from Himself, ibid. An Infidel accufes himself of Guilt, and Hypocrify; and that of the worst Sort, 232, 233. His Obligation to Chriftians, 233. What Danger He incurs by Virtue, 234. Vice recommended to Him, ibid. His high Pretences to Virtue, and Benevolence, exploded, 235. The Conclufion, on the Nature of Faith, 235, 236; Reafon, 236, 237; and Hope, 237; with an Apology for this Attempt, 238. THE EAV'N gives the needful, but neglected Call. H To wake the Soul to Senfe of future Scenes? |