of the Preaines we relish, the multiplicity of Charming and Delightful Objects, which enter as it were in thoals into our Souls, by the Chanel of the Senfes, and of the head-strong Fury and Violence of those Passions which appear fo plainte to be Principles of Illusions and Errors in the common Affairs of Life, that to reprefent a Man in a Passion, is sufficient to disswade Men from believing any thing he says in that mad Fit.

If then we feldom give credit to the Discourse of a revengeful Person, in vindication of his Roody Resentments, or to that of a Proud, Conceited Coxcomb that praises himself, or even to a Father that excuses his Sons Faults, (though that be but a very innocent and harmlefs kind of Affection,) much less ought we to believe those who deny the Principles of Religion, because we cannot but be sensible that all the Passions furnish us with Prejudices against it, because it tends wholly to curb and reprefs them all.

But though upon examining the Principles of our false Prejudices, it seems a Thousand times more probable our Adversaries should deceive themselves than we; yet if they please, we shall suppose us both upon an equal Foot, and only beg leave to use the like Cautions with them, lest we shall fall likewise into an Error. In order to this therefore, we declare to them, that we will admit of no Principles but what bring with them the force of Reason, provided likewise they will not on their part doubt without Reason. Neither shall we let our selves tamely perswaded of the Truth of the Principles of ligion, but shall yield only to them, when we shall

shall find our selves obliged to it by undeniable Evidence. But then let them not be so ungenteel to oppose them, when they shall appear with an evidence unexceptionable and truly convincing. This is all we demand of them, and we faithfully promise to stand to this Agreement. 'Tis plain we have followed this Method from the beginning of this work, and that Prejudice had no share in all those Truths we have demonstrated.

'Twas not Prejudice that convinced us of the Existence of a God; our Reason cannot but draw this Consequence from all things visible. 'Twas not a Prejudice that perswaded us God was an Intelligent and Wife Being; because our Reason acknowledges no God, and relapses into Atheism, if once it be obliged to believe that he is destitute of Understanding and Wisdom. 'Tis not Prejudice that makes us believe God knows all that is done on Earth; our Reason tells us, either God is no Inteiligent Being, or he knows the Actions of his Creatures. 'Tis not Prejudice that perswades us God approves of the Piety of those who pay their Homages and Thanksgivings to him; but on the contrary, that he condemns the Impiety of those who despise and affront him: Our Reason affures us, that if God cannot but know Mens Actions, he cannot likewise but know them to be what they are in themselves, and allow or disallow of them according as they deserve. 'Tis not Prejudice that perswades us God loves what he allows of, and hates what he disallows; our Reason permits us to doubt but God hates all that he knows worthy of his Hatred, by disallowing of it, and loves what he knows worthy of his Love, by allowing

N 3

lowing of it. 'Tis not Prejudice that induces us to believe God cannot but love Good Men rather than Wicked Men, because our Reason has convinced us of it already, by perswading us of the foregoing Truths. 'Tis not Prejudice that assures us, that if God loves the Good rather than the Wicked, it follows that he must needs bestow his Benefits in greater abundance upon them, than upon the latter; because our Reason informs us, that the more our Love increases, so much the more kind it inclines us to be which more especially proves to be true in a Sovereignly Free and Omnipotent Being. 'Tis not Prejudice that induces us to believe God would not bestow his Benefits more plentifully upon the Wicked than upon the Good, if there were nothing more to be hoped for after this Life, nor would fuffer Vertuous Men to be so often Oppressed and made Miserable in this World, as our Reason, or rather our Senses, our Sight, and our Experience assure us he many times does. 'Tis not Prejudice therefore, but our Reason it felf bich convinces us of the Neceffity and of

th

th of this Religion, where we find DiSice perf dispensed, and by which we ght th

will one Day recompense eto his Works. Revelation in question, deny come: Those who deny the forced likewise to dee Good more than the ir Opinion, the Wicked share in all his Benefits. God loves the Good more uft of necessity confess, that of the Life of both, of Good

and

and Evil, Vertue and Vice. Those who maintain that God approves alike of Good and Evil, make of him an imperfect Being, and can never justifie their Opinion, but by retracting even what they pretend to believe of him, and asserting that he knows neither of them. Those who deny God the Knowledge of Mens Actions, deny that he is that Intelligence which made Man, and continually preserves him, together with the other Works of the Universe, Those who deny that God is that Intelligence, deny his Existence. If you deviate never so little from those Principles of ours, you will inevitably fall into inextricable Errors, wander about groping in the Dark. But on the contrary, if you stick to the Truths of Religion, nothing can be easier to you, than to justify good Sense and right Reason.

But is it not possible to frame some Doubts still against all these Truths, though never so e vident? And is there no way to overthrow this System, how firm and indissoluble soever it seems? Let us see however, and do our best Endeavours in behalf of the Incredulous; and if possible, let us not forget any thing that may tend to their Advantage. Truth it self will be but the more convincing, after we have confronted it with the most plausible Objections that can be alledged against it.

CHAP. X.

Wherein we continue to answer the Objections of

the Deifts.

T feems as if it were easie to overthrow the Connexion of the foregoing Truths, by attempting first to shake the Certainty of the Firft, and affirming that God might indeed Know Mens Actions if he would; but that be

Sovereignly Free, he thinks only upon what he lifts, and confequently he may voluntarily turn off his Eyes from the Conduct of

Men.

In answer to this Objection, I shall not alledge, that it being impossible God should not know himself, he must needs fee those Beings which proceeded from him; and that reflecting upon his Goodness, he can't at the fame time but perceive those Objects in favour of which his Goodnefs was displayed.

Neither shall I object that an Infinite Understanding is altogether incapable of those Two great Defects, Ignorance and Inadvertency; and that there's an abfolute neceffity God's Understanding should be infinite, because he having no Principles of his Existence, there is no cause likewise that could prescribe him any bounds;

ar

1

Pris as reasonable he should have this degree tion, as that other, and that other aito Infinity.

Nor