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other Men, under pretence of not wholly comprehending it, and embrace another that includes a great many more Difficulties, and more incomprehensible Objects; to complain of not being throughly acquainted with the Designs and Perfections of a Being, supposed to be infinite in Perfection and Wisdom, and at the fame time to be ignorant of such things as are most proportioned to the Capacity of Man, and seem to be of a Nature and Condition inferior to his; to quit an Opinion upon account of those very Difficulties which are the fame, but far greater in the Atheists Hypothesis, and such as admitted, change our surest and least suspected Notions into an inexplicable confufion, and profound Darkness? 'Tis indeed, just as if one should pull out ones Eyes, in order to fee the bet

ter.

Our Reasons are all taken from what we comprehend, whereas the Atheists have theirs from what they do not understand. We have as many proofs of the truth of our Opinion, as there are things which shew us any Characters of Wifdom. The Atheists on the contrary, have no reasons to alledge for theirs, but what may be reduced to these Two general ones, I do not fee, I do not comprehend God: As if this necessary difproportion which there is between their Soul and the Supream Being, could form any allowable Prejudice in their Favour: As if this very disproportion, were not the most Essential Character of a Deity sovereignly exalted. If you admit of the Reasons of the Atheists, they will oblige you to call in question the Existence of Matter, as well as make you doubt of the Existence of God. But if you suppose the Existence of Matter,

you

you have answered the principal Objections of those that attack the Existence of God.

CHAP. XVIII.

Wherein we shall conclude this Section, by examining whether there be truly and properly Speaking any such thing as an Atheist.

Tis no difficult matter, after what has been faid, to decide that famous Questions Whether there be any Real Acheists in the World, or whether it be possible there should be any.

We answer in one Word, that there are such as are Atheists in their Heart, but there cannot be any that are so in their Understanding. For we learn both from Experience and Reason, that our Passions do eagerly embrace those Objects and Opinions which favour them most; it cannot therefore be thought strange, if they take off our Understanding from the confideration of the Proofs of a Deity, from the Contemplation of his Works, or at least from the Characters of Greatness and Wisdom to be seen in them ; or if by suspending the Enquiries of our Understanding, by breaking off its Reflections when they are not favourable to them, and fixing it strongly upon all the Doubts that seem to make for them, they form such an Habit of Incredulity in Men, as may reasonably enough be called the Atheism of the Heart.

The

The Atheist himself shews us plainly enough,

what was the principle of his Incredulity, when some times in a sharp Fit of Sickness, he abjures his Impiety; and we might very well put this Question to him, Why he has alter'd his Opinion? If his first Opinion sprang from the lights of his Understanding, he ought to keep it still; since his Understanding is rather more free, and more disintagled from all Extrinfecal Impressions now, than it was before. What is it then that obliges him to change his Opinion, but only the change of his Heart? 'Tis because his first Opinion proceeded from the Passions, but the Second springs from the purest Lights of the Understanding.

And certainly it is a very glorious thing for the truth of this grand Principle, that there are none but little Souls corrupted by the Vanity they have of imitating great Wits, and making a vain shew of fuch Abilities as they are not furnish'd with; or else Debauched Persons who are Slaves to their Passions, that make Profeffion of Doubting in this respect. Whence we may perceive that this Monster is bred by the Paffions that are fruitful in Illusions and Errors, and is not the Issue of found and right Reason.

He that knows how powerful the Passions are to seduce us, will not wonder at this, nor be furprised to see some of those Miserable Wretches that are deceived by their Passions, continue their Incredulity and Obstinacy even to the Grave; the reason of this, is that the Habit which they have taken up of fubmitting their Understanding to the regular motions of the Heart, is become a Second Nature to them; 'tis because the impression of the Passions is more lasting in some than than in others. A Soul continually imployed upon the Objects of Debauchery and Impiety, becomes at length incapable of making any right and just judgment. Nature is constrained to yield to Custom; as when a Father is so accustomed to hate his Son, that he can never recover any Affection for him again.

He that shall consider how that one single Pas sion of Pride was able in some fort to destroy all the Knowledge of Man, by obliging him to doubt of every thing, will not in the least wonder, that all the Passions together should sometimes render this one single notion of the Existence of God, Obscure and Dark. Befides, the Passions do very often make a Man forget him felf, and therefore may well be thought capable of making him forget God sometimes.

Two Principles then we find in Man continually strugling one with another in this respect. There is so much Light in the Understanding, that 'tis hardly possible it should be wholly extinguished by the Passions of the Heart: And there are so many irregular Passions in the Heart, that it is hard for the purest Lights of the Understanding, to escape being dimm'd and obscur'd by them sometimes. But here lies the advantage, that the Light comes from common Sense, a Fountain not at all to be suspected; where as the Obscurity comes from the Heart, which is a Principle we have reason to distrust. So that we may properly conclude with these Words of the Wife Man, The Fool hath said in his Heart, there is no God, Pfal. 14.

SECT.

SECT. II.

Wherein we shall prove the Truth and Neceffity of Religion against the Deists.

CHAP. I.

Four Principles to be proved, in opposition to Four kinds of Deists.

Having a Design Methodically

to proceed in

proving the First Truths of Religion, we shall take advantage only of the Principle we just now establish'd; viz. The Truth of the Existence of God; for that Truth will immediately lead us to other Truths, by a connexion of allowable and natural Consequences.

First, We shall establish the Idea of God, by cond

supposing the Truth of his Existence ly, We shall prove the neceffity of general, by the simple Idea of God. The necessity of Religion being well e will afterwards lead

tural Religion. Last

ral Religion, from t abused it by their C the Knowledge of a

iple

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