doubt of their immortality, at the bottom. And I am satisfied, that men once thoroughly convinced of their immortality, are not far from being Christians. For it is hard to conceive that a man, fully conscious eternal pain or happiness will certainly be his lot, should not earnestly, and impartially, inquire after the surest means of escaping the one and securing the other. And of such an earnest and impartial inquiry, I well know the consequence. Here, therefore, in proof of this most fundamental truth, some plain arguments are offered; arguments derived from principles which infidels admit in common with believers; arguments which appear to me altogether irresistible; and such as, I am satisfied, will have great weight with all who give themselves the small trouble of looking seriously into their own bosoms, and of observing, with any tolerable degree of attention, what daily passes round about them in the world. -If some arguments shall here occur, which others have declined, they are submitted, with all deference, to better judgments, in this, of all points, the most important! For as to the being of a God, that is no longer disputed; but it is unestablished, or unawakened in the minds of men, is, I conceive, the real source and support of all our infidelity, how remote soever the par ticular objections advanced may seem to be from it. Sensible appearances affect most men much more than abstract reasonings; and we daily see bodies drop around us, but the soul is invisible. The power which inclination has over the judg ment, is greater than can be well conceived by those that have not had an experience of it; and of what numbers is it the sad interest, that souk should not survive! The Heathen world confessed, that they rather hoped, than firmly be lieved Immortality! and how many Heathens have we still amongst us! The sacred page as sures us, that life and immortality are brought to light by the Gospel; but by how many is the Gos pel rejected, or overlooked! From these consi derations, and from my being, accidentally, privy to the sentiments of some particular persons, I have been long persuaded, that most, if not all, our infidels (whatever name they take, and whatever, scheme, for argument's sake, and to keep themselves in countenance, they patronize) are doubt of their immortality, at the bottom. And I am satisfied, that men once thoroughly convinced of their immortality, are not far from being Christians. For it is hard to conceive that a man, fully conscious eternal pain or happiness will certainly be his lot, should not earnestly, and impartially, inquire after the surest means of escaping the one and securing the other. And of such an earnest and impartial inquiry, I well know the consequence. Here, therefore, in proof of this most fundamental truth, some plain arguments are offered; arguments derived from principles which infidels admit in common with believers; arguments which appear to me altogether irresistible; and such as, I am satisfied, will have great weight with all who give themselves the small trouble of looking seriously into their own bosoms, and of observing, with any tolerable degree of attention, what daily passes round about them in the world. -If some arguments shall here occur, which others have declined, they are submitted, with all deference, to better judgments, in this, of all points, the most important! For as to the being of a God, that is no longer disputed; but it is where the least pretence to reason is admitted, it must for ever be indisputable. And, of cousequence, no man can be betrayed into a dispute of that nature by vanity, which has a principal share in animating our modern combatants against other articles of our belief. THE COMPLAINT. NIGHT VI. THE INFIDEL RECLAIMED. IN TWO PARTS. CONTAINING THE NATURE, PROOF, AND IMPORTANCE OF IMMORTALITY. PART I. WHERE, AMONGST OTHER THINGS, GLORY AND RICHES ARE PARTICULARLY CONSIDERED. TO THE RIGHT HON. HENRY PELHAM. SHE* (for I know not yet her name in Heaven) |