whatever Scheme for Argument's Sake, and 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 Distrust 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 Compafs of Human Thought. And thefe are,-That either GOD will not, or can not, punifh. Confidering the Divine Attributes, the First is too grofs to be digefted by our strongest Wishes. And fince Omnipotence is as much a Divine Attribute as Holiness, that GOD cannot punish, 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 ftrange Influence on our Opinions; they bias the Judgment in a manner, almoft, incredible. And fince on this Member of their Alternative, there are some very small 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.

as

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 firike directly at the main Root of all our Infidelity. In the following Pages, it is, accordingly, purfu'd at large; and fome Arguments

for

for Immortality new (at least to me) are ventur'd on in them. There also the Writer has made an Attempt to fet the grofs 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 Wifdom 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 Thofe they fo much admire? What Degree of Contempt, and Abhorrence, would fall to their Share, may be conjectured by the following Matter of Fact, (in my Opinion) extremely memorable. Of all their Heathen Worthies, Socrates ('tis well known) was the most Guarded, Difpaffionate, and Compofed: Yet this great 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, Inftance of true Friendship towards Him. Is not this furprizing? 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 Should depofit his Remains?" it was refented by Socrates, as implying a dishonourable Suppofition, that He could be fo mean, as to have Regard for any thing, even in Himself, 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 il

H 3.

luftrious

luftrious Example, to share his 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,

NIGHT the SEVENTH,

THE

INFIDEL Reclaim'd.

H

EAV'N gives the needful, but neglected, Call.
What Day, what Hour, but knocks at human
Hearts,

To wake the Soul to Senfe of future Scenes?
Deaths ftand, like Mercuries, in ev'ry Way;
And kindly point to us our Journey's End,
POPE, who couldft make Immortals! art thou dead?
I give thee Joy: Nor will I take my Leave;
So foon to follow. Man but dives at Death;
Dives from the Sun, in fairer Day to rife;
The Grave, his fubterranean Road to Blifs.
Yes, infinite Indulgence plann'd it fo;
Thro' various Parts our glorious Story runs ;
Time gives the Preface, endless Age unrolls
The Volume, (ne'er unroll'd!) of human Fate.

THIS, Earth, and Skies * already have proclaim'd.
The World's a Prophecy of Worlds to come;
And who, what God foretels, (who speaks in Things,
Still louder than in Words) shall dare deny ?

* Night the Sixth.

If Nature's Arguments appear too weak,
Turn a new Leaf, and ftronger read in Man..
If Man fleeps on, untaught by what he sees,
Can he prove Infidel to what he feels?
He, whose blind Thought Futurity denies,
Unconscious bears, Bellerophon! like thee,
His own Indictment; he condemns himself;
Who reads his Bofom, reads Immortal Life;
Or, Nature, there, impofing on her Sons,
Has written Fables; Man was made a Lye.

WHY Discontent for ever harbour'd there?
Incurable Confumption of our Peace!
Refolve me, why, the Cottager, and King,
He whom Sea-fever'd Realms obey, and he
Who fteals his whole Dominion from the Waste,
Repelling Winter's blaft, with Mud and Straw,
Difquieted alike, draw Sigh for Sigh,

In Fate fo diftant, in Complaint fo near.

Is it, that Things Terreftrial can't content?
Deep in rich Pafture, will thy Flocks complain?
Not fo; but to their Mafter is deny'd

To share their fweet Serene. Man, ill at Ease,
In this, not his own, Place, this foreign Field,
Where Nature fodders him with other Food,
Than was ordain'd his Cravings to fuffice,
Poor in Abundance, famish'd at a Feast,

Sighs on for fomething more, when most enjoy'd.
Is Heav'n then kinder to thy Flocks, than Thee?
Not fo; thy Pafture richer, but remote ;
In part, remote; for that remoter Part

Man bleats from Inftinet, tho', perhaps, debauch'd
By Senfe, his Reason fleeps, nor dreams the Cause.
The Cause how obvious, when his Reason wakes?
His Grief is but his Grandeur in Disguise;
And Discontent is Immortality.

SHALL