perjury were so frequently observed by some heathens that when Diagoras hearing a man for swearing himself in a Court of Judicature and being impatient to see that he was not presently thunder-strucken became an Atheist and because Sentence against so great an evill was not suddenly executed therefore the heart of this fool this wicked man was fully set in him about that great mischief to say there was no God Psal. 14.1 Eccl. 8.11 Dub. Some Pagans aâ—d false Christians have dared to take false Oaths The Jesuites whether they be Pagans or Christians I know not will swear anything even solemnly in Courts of Justice and therefore this argument impious meâ— dare not take a false oath therefore there is a Deity or some Supream power which they fear holds not for the antecedent is evidently fals but this is rational strange horrors and terrors of conscience and fearfull judgments have followed perjured persons tho no man knew they were so therefore there is some invisible superior power wheâ—ce such horrors and terrors and judgmentâ— proceed Frm. I do confess that there have been several perjured persons in former and are in these present times but for a full answer to this exception see what is replyed to another very like it Pag. 4. however I am content the argument should stand as you have proposed it strange horror and terrors of conscience and fearfull judgment have followed perjured persons c. which sufficiently proves what I intended and therefore I proceed Another argument very like to this or which is rather an addition to the former may be takâ—n from the feares and torments of an evil coâ—science even amongst the very heathens Nero haveing killed his Mother confessed that he was often troubled which her Ghost The wretched Caligula at the report of a thunder clap would â—un under his bed A thousand instances there are amongst heathen writers of wicked men labouring under the feares and terrors of their own coâ—science which Juvenal does describe to the life in one or two of his Satyrs What should be the reason that mere Pagans men having no knowledg of the true God or of his Severity against wickedness should be tormented with the sad prospect of some fearefull judgment attending upon their villanies tho never so secretly practised but the timor Numinis vindicantis the fear of divine vengeance A third argument may be drawn from the certainty that there are Devils evil Spirits together with their wicked Instruments Witches Magicians Sorcerers Conjurers which none but a foolish Atheist who will believe no further then his sight leads him can doubt of How frequently the Devil has appeared in this nation in times of gross ignoranceâ— and superstition and how he does so still to the poor ' Indians thâ—t worship him for their God is aboundantly manifest by the tradition of our fore fathers and the testimony of knowing Christians that have been in those parts What pranks and diabolical feats have been acted by Witches and Conjurers may be seen in those learned Authors that have wrot against them as Dr. Moor and many others And albeit the appearances of evil Spirits Witch-crafts c. are not now so frequent in this nation as heretofore in times of Popery and darke Ignorance yet does it not therefore folloâ— that all our forefathers were Melancholly Hypocondriacks deceived themselves and deceiving us with vain and groundless phansies but the true reason is this in times of ignorance and superstition the Devil appears more frequently to uphold his Kingdome over his vassals and to confirm them in their false worship but in times of knowledg and Gospel light the Prince of Darkness uses all his arts to render men Scepticks in Religion and of no Religion at all Atheists Infidels Prophane so that his very appearing would pull down his Kingdome which he exercises over these wretches who like Sadducees believe neither Angel nor Spirit nor any thing further then they can see Now the Prince oâ— the Air is too subtil to confute this Groâ—s errour in his best servants by any or often apparitions The last reason I shall take from that allowed distiâ—ction that is betwixt good and evil better and worse which could not be unless there were some measure of mans actions and this measure must be a law either written in mans heart or instituted and written in bookes or tables and thiâ— law must have a law maker which must be able both to know reward and punish not only mans words and actions but his very thoughts which none can do according to the exact rules of Justice but he that is infinite in knowledg and wisdom that is none but the omniscient God Besides all this there are degrees in good and evil for of things that are good some are better then others of things that are evil some are worse then other Now these degrees of good and evil take their rise and fall by their aproaching to or declination from that which is summum bonum or the chiefest good so that if there were no best or cheifest good there could be no better or worse no good or evil at all therefore there must be one infinite good To conclude this first discourse seeing the inclination of all People to believe a God the instinct of nature to confess it the excellent fabrick of the world to declare it the force of wicked mens consciences to fear it the Custom of civil nations to adore it do abundantly prove that God is yea doubtless that there is a God that judgeth the earth what a monstrous Creature is the fool Atheist that saith in his heart there is no God Dub. Though I was abundantly satisfied with your former reasons against Atheism yet I heartily thank you for these which you have here added which though they are more largely treated on by several learned Authors yet as you have breifly summed them up they are more suitable to men of ordinary capacities and of short discourse who loose themselves in long treatises and are apt to forget what they have read in the beginning of them before they come to the middle and are more tired with the length then pleased with the soundness and excellency of such discourses Sir being fully satisfied with your reasons against Atheism I humbly beseech the Almighty Creatour of heaven and earth to bless them unto me to preserve me from all prophane irreligious Courses from practical Atheism which by its own Natural propensity and the just judgment of the most holy and righteous God is the great cause of that which is Speculative and Dogmatical DIALOGVE II. against Antiscrpturisme Firm. HAving given you such satisfaction about the being of God as hath fully removed all your doubts concerning that first and great principle if you please we will discourse of the other that is like unto it the Divine Auâ—hâ—rity of the holy Scripture for upon these two depend the great and weighty business of Religion He that is steadfast
in the beliefe of the being of God and the truth of his moâ—t sacred word if he be true to these great fundamentals must of necessity be both an Orthodox and a serious Christian. Dub. If you can give me as good satisfaction in the divine Authority of Scripture as you have in the being of an eternal God Creatour of heaven and earth you will performe a work of greatest Charity but I fâ—ar of as great difficulty Firm. Happily you may perceive some difficulty in it but if you will make use of your reason and lay aside all prejudicating opinions which cheifly arise from that contrariety which is betwixt mens carnall corrupt hearts and the holy and pure word of God I hope by his blessing whose Cause I plead to perswade you to give your full assent to this other great principle of Christianity Dub. I shall endeavour to weigh your reasons in the ballance of an even unbiassed judgment and to receive them aâ—imo defaecato with a mind free from the dregs of sensuality interest partiality or prejudice Firm. Upon the confidence to find this ingenuity in you I shall present you with these following reasons 1. You do belive that there is an omnipotent God Creatour of heaven and earth that he made all things therein contained that being infinite in wisedome and knowledg he made all these things for some good end that he hath ordered them to act and worke in such a manner as is suitable to their several natures that in as much as they have their being facultys operations from their all wise and Glorious maker they are bound by the law of Creation to do homage and service to him that made them Dub. All this I grant to be very rational Firm. These things being granted that not to mention other Creatures as man had his being reason and understanding from Almighty God so is he bound to serve him in that way and manner which is agreeable to mans excellent nature which must be therefore a reasonable service which all the world as well Pagans as Jews and Christians call Religion which according to all sober people comprehends duties of piety as praier praises and sacrifices duties of temperance sobriety and chastity duties of honesty justice righteousness and all morality Dub. There is nothing more evident then that as there is a most wise and holy God that made man endued him with excellent facultys of reason and understanding so there is a debt and duty owing from man to God his maker which all the world calls Religion and no people in the world were ever so barbarous saies Cicero as to be destitute of all Religion yea there is such a tendency in the nature of man where t is not utterly extinguished by brutish sensuality that rather then he will worship no God at all he will bow down to a Sock or a Stone so that clear it is if there be a God the Creatour and man by him created there must of necessity be a Religion Firm. Truly nothing does more necessarily follow as Du-Plessis has well observed then a God a man a Religion But if Almighty God did make man to worship him sure he gave him some rules for that worship some law to direct him in this great concern of his Soul Dub. I cannot deny it and that this law was no law written in paper or engraven in tables of stone but the law of nature written in mans heart which made Tertullian utter these excellent words o aniâ—a naturaliter Christiana ô Divine Soul that art naturally a Christian. We see that the fire ascends the water moves towards the Center birds make their nests Beasts feed their young not by any outward positive law but by the unerring hand of nature and may not man that has a natural inclination to serve his maker perform this service without any institued law or prescribed Canon Firm. Ther 's no disputing against experience you see he does not and when you shall embrace and understand the holy Scriptures you will see he cannot by reason of his fall from that â—erfect staâ—e in which he was first made whereas the inferior Creatures kept their Station Dub. I confess there are different Religions in the world opposite one to another so that all of them cannot be in the right way of woâ—shiping God some of necessity must be false and erroneous Firm. If of all religions in the world all are not in the right how will you know which is the true Religion which is the false This you cannot discern by any imprinted law or light of nature unless excited by Art and industry which is in some measure common to all men that are not natural fools and Madmen stupid inconsiderate wretches or debauched bruits whose reason is â—unk down into gross Sensuality Dub. T is very true if the meer light of nature were sufficient to point out the true Religion I am not able to say why so many Sober men in several parts of the world who have not debauched their Reason and judgment should so strangely differ about it Firm. I believe you cannot nor yet why Jewes and Pagans did offer up bloody Sacrifices to these Deitys they worshipped Does any light of nature make it rational that the Gods should be pleased with the blood of poor innocent Beasts or is it rational to imagine that they should delight in humane â—acrifices Dub. I must acknowledge I do not understand how the light of nature should teach men that such Sacrifices should please the Gods I have oftâ—n wondered at this part of worship used by Jews and Gentiles pray Sir give your selfe the trouble of informing me whence this practise sprang Firm. You are satisfied that it had not its original from the light of nature for albeit some kind of Sacrifices as Prayers praises alms-deeds and it may be the offering of the Fruits of the Earth Deo datori to God that gave them might spring from that light yet the Sacrificing of Beasts was never shewed to Jew or Gentile by natures Candle but was after the fall of man appointed by Almighty God to prefigure the Grand propitiatory Sacrifice which was to be made by the blood of him that was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world which the Devil who is tearmed Gods Ape taught his servants the Gentils to imitate who had the shell but not the kernel the shadow but not the substance the outward rite but not Christ crucified represented by it Dub. I do acknowledg that the Sacrificing of beasts came not from the light of nature and you seem to make it probable that 't was from divine revelation and positive institution Firm. You will be better satisfied when you shall consider That the founders of all Religions in the world did pretend to Revelations Numa Lycurgus Mahomet c. which the devil taught them to do in imitation of Moses and the rest of the holy Prophets who spake as they were moved by
God 2. Pet. 1.20 Now there being but Four Religions in the world Iudaism Christianity Paganism and Mahometism If I shall prove unto you that Christianity whose rule and foundation is the holy Scripture is the only true Religion and the other Three false I hope you will grant that the foundation on which it stands is the true Revelation and consequently that the Scripture is no invention of man but given by Inspiration and Revelation from God which is the summ of my first Argument Dub. If you can prove that the other Three Religions are false 't will necessarily follow that the Revelations to which they pretend are likwise false Firm. This I shall easily do beginning with Paganism which consists in the worshiping of the Câ—â—â—tures 1. The Sun Moon and all the Host of Heaven 2. dâ—â—d men that called Sabaisme this Hâ—llâ—nisme from the nations that fiâ—st used these modes of worship of both which we have a short account im the book of Wisdome chap. 13. and 14. but more fully in Vossius de Idolaâ—ria and in the Author of the Gentils Court who hath mâ—de use of divers excellent men that have wrote of this Subject That this Religion of Pagans was against the lâ—w and light of nature both in respect of the things woâ—shipped and also in respect of the abominable â—ites and Ceremonies any man that has the least sparke of that light remaining in him may â—asily discern First The things worshipped were the Creatures some of them that never had life others thâ—t once lived but are now dead whose ghosts or Manes the Heathens imagined to be confined to their Idols whereas no Creature can be câ—pable of Religious worsâ—ip for 't is repugnant to all right reason that one Creature should thus worship another God alone being the proper object of such worship because in him we live move and have our being and he it is that gives us life and breath and all things therefore Deo datori to God the Creator and giver of all good things all religious worship is only due Besides some of the wiser Heathens acknowledg that there could be but one God 't was a common saying amongst them dicite plures dicite nullum 't is all one to say there are many Gods as to say there is no God for the notion which they had of God was that he was ens infinitum a being of infinite power and perfection but natural reason shewed them that there could be but one infinite because infinite power and infinite perfection comprehends all power and perfection and therefore it cannot be communicated to many or more then one Secondly Their Rites and Ceremonies were so ridiculous and so filthy that the Apostle stiles them abominable Idolatries 't is against the rules of Christian modesty either to hear or speak of them He that desires to see Paganism smartly and solidly confuted let him peruse the antient Fathers Lactantius Arnobius Minutius felix Eusebius Clemens Alexandrinus St. Augustine de Civitate Dei c. Dub. I alwaies conceived Paganism to be a most vain and vile superstition contrary to the very light of nature and I am no better perswaded of Mahometism however I desire to hear your reasons against it Firm. You may please to receive them thus my first reason shall be taken from the novelty of it being not much above a Thousand years since that false Prophet Mahomet published his rapsody of nonsence fabulous fictions and damnable Blasphemys to the world First From which I thus argue truth is before falsehood Illud verum quod antiquum seeing the world is now above 5500 years old and seeing Religion has been practised in it from the Creation t is absurd to imagine there was no true Religion before Mahomet or that the infinite goodness and wisdom of God should suffer gross errors to infect the whole world at least 3000 years before the true worship of his holy name was known unto men Secondly Mahometism is a mixture of Judaism Heresy and Paganism with some sprinklings of Christianity A bundle of ridiculous fables prodigious lies as is evident to any that shall peruse the Alcoran Thirdly 'T was propagated by the Sword and such carnal weapons by sensual motives and promises of fleshly pleasures to be injoyed by all those that should be followers of that grand impostor which are so unworthy of the rational soul that they cannot be called the cords of man but are only proper allurements for those whose reason is sunk down into brutish sensuality Dub. These reasons do sufficiently manifest the folly and falseness of this new or rather no Religion but pray you inform me why you rank Judaism in the number of false religious seeing t is grounded on the Scripturs of the Old Testament which you beleive to be a divine Revelation Firm. When I reckon Judaism amongst false Religions I mean only that religion which is professed by the modern Jews under against the Gospel not that which their forefathers under the law lived and died in Since the fall of Adam unto the end of the world there was and shall be but one true Religion consisting of Repentance from dead works holy obedience and faith in Jesus Christ so that the fathers before the law the Israelites under the law the Christians under the Gospel were and are of one and the same Religion for the substance of it 1 Cor. 10.1.2.3 they did believe in Christ to come the Christians do believe that he is already come to them he was vailed in Types and shadows to us he is revealed and those shadows are vanished at the rising of the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings Dub. By what you have said 't is evident thaâ— all Religions that are and ever were in the world except the Jewish under the law and the Christian under the Gospel which are for substance the very same are utterly false and consequently their pretended Revelations on which they are built the inventions of men and Satanical Delusions and that the Christian and the antient Jewish being the only true Religion it must follow that the Old and New Testament is the only certain and divine Revelation your Argument appeares to be very concluding I pray you proceed Firm. My second argument shall be taken from the excellency and reasonableness of Christian Religion First This Religion is most holy and spirituall resolving it selfe into most excellent principles and ends the Glorifying of God and humbling man pointing out unto us the most divine and heâ—venly life in the love and service of our Creator in the dedication and devotion of our souls unto him in whom we live move and have our being placing our felicity in spiritual not in fleshly pleasurs the rule of it being holy scripture contains laws most holy most pure most righteous Let all the world if they can answer the chalenge made by Moses Deu. 4.8 what nation is there so great that has Statues and judgments so
enemies to Christianity acknowledg but besides their Testimony which being from adversaryes is vâ—â—y cogent we have the tradition of the Catholick Church in all ages and most places of the world for 1600 years and upwards and as he that will go up by the side of the River will at last come to the head and fountain of it so he that shall ascend through the several Centuries of the Church will at last infallibly come to the head of it Christ Iesus to the place of his Nativity his Preaching and mighty Works that he did his bitter death and bloody passion or if he shall descend from Christ through the same Centuries down to this present time he may be farr more certain of the birth and life and works and sufferings of this our bessed Saviour of the writings of the Holy Evangelists and Apostles then that there have been such men in the world as Alexander the great Iulius Caesar Pompey Scipio Hannibal of the Warrs and noble Acheivements managed by them of William the Conquerour the Barons warrs and yet none but a fool or a mad man or one that has vowed to believe no farther then what he can see with his own eyes will doubt of these for that the tradition which conveys the same of these Worthies and their Actions down unto us is nothing so general as that of the Catholick Church neither is it at all practical but purely historical wherein we are not at all concerned whether or no the things reported of those noble warriours be true or false Dub. He that will not assent to what is delivered by universal Tradition takes away the use of one of the most noble Sciences in the world viz. History and wants rather a Cudgel then an Arguâ—ent to confute him T is evident by undeniable tradition that there were such persons as Christ and his Apostles that thay did great and marveilous things but how shall we know whether the works which they did were true miracles surely t is very difficult to know what is true and what is an imposture Firm. Thô at present this may appear difficult to you yet I hope I shall make this difference as manifest to you as is that which is betwixt Gold and drosse And here I will not trouble you with the niceties of the schoolemen betwixt mirum miraculum that a true miracle is arduum insoliâ—um supra vim naturae hard unusuall and above the powèr of nature that it differs from a â—alse one in the efficient material and formall cause which is ignotum per ignotius But to wave such subtilties a true miracle may be known from a false one 1. By the successe as Exod. 7.12 t is said Aarons rod swallowed up those of the sorcerers and in the primitive times t is cleare how the miracles wrought by the Apostles swallowed up in effect all false ones â—one by satanâ— Instruments how notwithstanding all those lying wonders wrought by Simon Magus Apollonius and others the prejudicating world was brought over from Idolatry and superstition to embrace poor persecuted Christianity by those true miracles which otherwise had been the greatest miracle in the world 2. A true miracle may be known from that which is a jugle or imposture by the design or end of it which is for the confirmation of a divine revelation to bring men over to the worship of the true God to propagate the true Religion the end of false ones is to draw men from this worshâ—p which note of difference God himself has stamp'd upon false miracles Deut. 13 Dub. But doe not you now run into the same erroâ—r which you so lately condemned in others for by what you have said I must first know which is the true Religion before I can know which is a true miracle and surely then there will be no use of miracles to confirme me in the truth of what I knew before Firm. there is a mutuall confirmation betwixt the true religion and a true miracle true Religion does give light to miracles these do seal and confirm that Religion We see that all discursive knowledge does arise from some precedent knowledge untill we ascend to such principles that are clear to the light of nature now evident it is to natural reason that there is a God Creatour of all things that there is but one God that this one God ought to be religiously worshipped the intelligent and learned heathens have acknowledged all these Again 't is evident that there were never but four general Religions in the world Paganisme Turcisme Judaisme and Christianity and I think I have already made it manifest that of all these Religions none is so râ—tional or such a reasonable service as is that of the Christian which for the substance of it is the oldest of all others being the same which was practised by the fathers both before and after the flood for the spirituality morality and unity of the God heaâ— worshipped 't is excellent beyond all others most agreeable to the Common principles and notices of the reasonable Soul Here upon any serious sober man may conclude that all these miracles which have been â—ttempted to draw men from Christianity are but mere impostures and those that have been wrought for the confirmation of it wherein one true God of infinite majesty wisdome power and glory is worshipped in spirit and truth are the only true miracles Dub. Pray Sir excuse me this unnecessary trouble which I have given you for by what you had said before concerning the supereminent excellency of the Christian Religion above all others I might have seen the force of your reasoning which as I conceive stands thus If the Christian Religion be the only tâ—ue Religion then those miracles which were wrought for the Confirmation of it are the only true miracles Firm. You rightly conclude I shall therefore proceed to the third note or marke of a true mirâ—cle and that is the effect and consequent of such a miracle which is the drawing of the mind from sin to God the primitive Christians much insisted on this as an undoubâ—ed evidence of tâ—e miracles wrought by Christ that they were done by divine power because the effect that followed them was the worke of conversion of Souâ—â— from sin and Idoâ—s to Goâ— and Christ and all true piety and holinesse of life they tended mainly to the overthrow of Satans Kingdome Christ by his miracles did not only disposesse Satan out of mens bodies but out of his Temples upon this accouâ—t he convinces the Scribes and Pharises of most irrational blasphemy when they objected against him that he did cast out devills by the power of the devill but he replyed every Kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand Mat. 12.25 Besideâ— Christs doctrine which he confirmed by miraclâ—s was in every thing contâ—â—â—y to the devils dâ—sign which was to draw men from the worship of the true God that himself might be worshiped to insnare men in the practise
of the greatest wickednesse under a pretence of Religion as is very obseâ—vable in all heathen mysteries which indeed were very mysteries of iniquity abominable Idolatry not to be named to modest eares Dr. Stillingfleets Orig. Sac. lib. 2. Cap. 10. 4. True miracles differ from diabolicall impostures in three particolars 1. in the manner of their working 2. their number 3. the quality of â—hings wrought by them 1. The impostares of Satan were done by a great deal oâ— pomp and Ceremony magical rites charâ—es and medicines what Christ did was with a words speaking yea by the very touch oâ— his garmâ—â—â— 2. For their number those Satanicall jugliâ—gs were comparatively very few there were not many that were cured by the devill and his instruments but Christ cured whole multitudes and that not in the Revestryes of the teâ—ple where fraud and imposture might be easily suspected but in the presence of the people Arnoâ—ius's objection against the Gentiles is very rationall what wonder is it to shew one or two cured when thousands lie continually in your temples languishing for want of cure which 〈◊〉 eâ—en weary your God Esculaâ—ius with prayâ—rs and teares but could have no helpe â—rom him with all their importunities 3. For the quality of thingâ— pretended to be done by miracles the cures among the heathens were some slight things in Comparison of those performed by Christ what heathen jugler did ever open the eyes of any man that was born blind make the dumb to speak the lame to walke or raise the dead by a words speaking or by a touch of the hand See Dr. Sâ—illingflâ—ets book before cited There is one other argument made use of by the learned Dr. Hammond in his tract of the reasonablenesse of Christian Religion which â— friend caused me to remember for the confirmation of the truth of this divine Revelation This learned man proves the mission and doctrine of Jesus Christ from that high testimony whâ—ch God the father gave him by a voice from heaven coming out of the midst of thunder which way of Revelation was known to the Jews by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the daughter of a voice and by this God did three times give testimony unto Christ 1 immediatly after his baptism 2. at his transâ—iguration 3. a little before his death and all in the pâ—esence of sufficient witnesses this testimony of God the father given three severall times dâ—d â—ully ratify the doctrine of Christ contained in the scriptures of the New Testament God gave â—he very same testimony to Moses and hâ—s doctrine and â—hat in the sight and audience of many thousands Exod. 19.16 Thiâ— Moâ—â—s often reminds the people of especiallâ— Deut. 4.32.33 where he tells them that never any people did heare the voice of God out of â—â—e midst of the fire as they had done and thiâ—â—ay oâ—â—eâ—â—lation seems to be so suitable to the 〈…〉 of almighty God and so pecuâ—â—â—r â—o hiâ— that the devill who in other things 〈◊〉 Aâ—e never attempted to imitate God in tâ—◠〈◊〉 nor do I believe he was ever aâ—â—e Gâ—â— hâ—ving restrâ—ined him by â—his omnipoâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—nd reâ—erved this way of Revelation peâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 Dâ—b 〈◊〉 Discoâ—rse hath been so rationall that 〈…〉 as â—gâ—ippâ—â— almost perswaded to be a 〈…〉 buâ—â—â—together such as you are as to 〈◊〉 â—wo great principleâ— of Christianity concerniâ—g â—he being of God and the Divine Authority â—f â—oly Scripture and methinks I see all false Religâ—â—ns fall flâ—t on their faces before these great â—ruâ—hs as Dagon did before the Arke Firm. No marviell for he that doth firmly believe that God is and that the Scripture is his word must needs abominate those false worships which are â—o extreamly contrary to his divine nature and his most sacred writ but seeing you are so well perswaded of these principles I shall not trouble you with any more reasons for the confirmation of them onely if you shall hereafter meet with any scoffing Atheist or infidell that shall deny either of them you may for conclusion of all presse upon him this dilemma or forked argument Either 't is true there is a God and the Scripture is his word or 't is not true suppose these things be not true yet thou believest them to be so thou art onely in an errour for this short span of time but what if they prove undoutedly true and thou dost not believe them to be so then thou art eternally damned now what a madness is it for any man for the avoiding of a seeming temporary errour to come within the danger of everlasting damnation Dub. This argument might startle any Atheist and make him consider with himselfe how sad his Condition will be if these things be so as solid and undenyable reasons do demonstrate and yet he should live and die an infidell O what will become of such an one unto all eternity I am full of wonder and amazement that seeing there are such convincing reasons against Atheism and infidelity that there should be any such Creatures upon the face of the earth when certainly there are none such in hell for the devill believes and â—rembles Firm. You will cease to wonder when you shall rightly consider the certain reasons of those grosse errours which are 1. Drollery and foolish jesting which renders men inconsiderate and mindlesse even in the affaires of the world much more in the things of eternity a man that is given to Droll and jest is uncapable of any serious businesse 2. Many men are men of short discourse they do not understand the force of an argument by reason of the weaknesse of their discursive faculty which is altogether rusty for want of use exercise and ingenious education though in the booke of nature the eternall power and God-head of the Almighty be wrote in large Characters yet every one cannot Read in that booke no more then he that never went to schoole can read the Primer halfe psalter or any book of the faireâ—t print Dub. This is true of many simple and illiterate men that are very brutes not at all to be distinguished from the beasts that perish but by the erect figure of their bodies their Rational soules mean while being sunke downe into mere sensuality such as have not God in all their thoughts they trouble not themselves to think of him either that he is or is not these digenerate Creatures do not concern themselves in matters of Religion but I hope you wilâ— not say that the wittâ— of the time are such ignorant Animals Firm. I shall not doubt to affirm it and that for these reasons 1. You may observe that these witty men are persons of no serious or solid judgments especially in things of highest concernment they are such as spend their time in idleness Drollery vain Recreations so that albeit the Lord has given them those two great bookes to read in that of nature and the holy scripture yet they vouchsafe not to read or meditate upon
a God Creator and â—overnour of Heaven and Earth and all things in them contâ—ined Firm. I have heretofore taken you for a rational man and therefore I desire a reason from you of such thoughts and doubts Dub. Those many Controversies and sharp contentions about religion and worship of God have caused me to doubt whether there be any Religion at all or any God to be worshipped Firm. Is it imaginable that so many wise men should contend about a trifle a fancy a very nothing 'T is strange that what should be a most rational motive to perswade you to beleive that there is a God and a Religion should make you doubt of both There must be something in it that draws so many Combatants into the field Zealous Sticklers for their several Modes and Formes of Religion hateing â—ne another even unto death Dub. This you have intimated before I am fully convinced that so many fierce disputes about Religion do argue that t is not a meer fancy I pray Sir enquire no further after the reasons of my doubts but let me hear from you how they may be satisfied Firm. Most willingly but that we may proceed the more methodically let it be agreed beâ—wixt us what is the true notion of God Upon supposition that God is what do you conceive of him in your mind Dub. 'T is agreed by all that the notion or conception of God in our mind is that he is a being infinitely perfect Firm. If God be a being infinitely perfect then God is for a being infinitely perfect must necessarily exist and be Dub. Do not we say a Rose is a flower yet it does not follow at aâ—l times that a Rose is for in the winter there is no such thing as a Rose and yet the proposition is true Firm. There is a vast difference betwixt a being absolutely perfect and that which has a limited and finite perfection for in this the essence may be really abstracted from the actual existence but not in that For a being infinitely or absolutely perfect must necessarily exist not contingently or impossibly for those modes are inconsistent with a being absolutely perfect for whatsoever does exist contingently is in possibility not to exist which is an imperfection and impossibility of existence is the greatest imperfection of all other Dub. This reason is so obscure that albeit I cannot reply to it yet I am not satisfied with it I fear some fallacy lies hid in the bowels of it Firm. I believe not yet because you do not fully comprehend it I shall proceed to others thaâ— are more plain and intelligible Firm. What say you then to that reason which is drawn from the General consent of all nations as well Heathens as Christians Nulla gens tam barbara c. saies Cicero No nation was ever so barbarous which did not confess a God now the consent of all nations is the law and dictate of nature so that t is impossible that all nations should consent in so great a falshood as the Atheist endeavours to maintain Add to this their general practise in worshiping some supream Deity that rather then worship no God at all they would worship the Sun Moon and Stars yeâ— the moâ—t contemptible Creatures the Crocodile Onyons Garlick a Red Cloath any thing they first met with in the morning so powerful is the impulse and inclination of nature in this great business of Religion which is the proper distinguisâ—ing Character betwixt a man and a beast as Lactantius has long since observed Dub. I confess that the general consent of nations in the acknowledging and worshiping a God has been one main reason that has kept me from being a down-right Atheist Yet I have somwhat to say against it because this consent is not so general as is pretended for I have heard there have been men in Antient times and not a few in these we live in who have said not only in their hearts but also with their tongues there is no God Firm. What are two or three men in former ages or a feâ— debauched persons in this to the general consent of all civil nations from the beginning of the world Happily you have heard that soâ—e have denied the Snoâ— to be white the Fire to be hot Monstrous opinions are no more a prejudice to the dictates of nature and common consent of all nations then monstrous shapes and formes in the body are to the laws of nature which she generally observes in the forming of men and beasts in their due proportions and lineaments What if some few out of discontent singularity animosity or brutish sensuality have turned Atheists Is it not a great prejudice to this brutish opinion That few Sober men if any have been of their party but such as have been first Atheists in practise sensual debauched wretches Nam quo quis in vita purior c. saies Cicero â—y how much any man has been more pure in his liâ—e and conversation by so much his thoughts of the Gods have been more sound and rational Dub. I confess it is a great prejudice to Atheism that the Debaucher sort are the greatest iâ— not the only sticklers for it but still my doubt remains and therefore I desire to hear from you some more evident reasons for my full satisfaction Firm. Most willingly I shall comply with youâ— desire My Third Argument shall be this If the world had a beginning and was not from all eternity then 't was made by somthing else for nothing can make it self 'T is as clear as the Sun at noon day whatsoever is made is made by another for that which is not cannot work and consequently cannot produce it self nor aâ—y other â—â—ing now this somthing else must be made oâ— some other cause or else it self must be the supream cause of all things If you affirm the former you must run up into an infiniâ—e number of Causes which is impossible or else you must come at last to one supream independent being which is the maker of all things he himself being made of none which is the eternal God Dub. I begin to feel the weight of this Argument If you can clearly prove the world to have had a beginning I shall be your Convert and readily confess that verily there is a God that hath made the world and judgeth the earth Firm. This I hope I shall perform by his gracious assistance whose cause I plead and whose poor sinful creature I am First Then by the world we understand the whole Systeme or Collection of things in it contained Sun Moon Stars Air Earth Water Men Beasts Foâ—les Fishes Plants and all things whatsoever comprehended in this vast circumference Dub. I willingly grant that by tâ—â— World we are â—o understand all things therein contained as you have enumerated them which make up the visible world created by Almighty God in six daies as your Moses would have us believe Firm. That none of these were from