negatives, are capable of no proof, unless a man could fhew them to be plainly impoffible: The utmost that is pretended is, that the arguments that are brought for these things are not fufficient to convince. But if they were only probable, fo long as no arguments are produced to the contrary, that cannot in reafon be denied to be a great advantage.

But I will, for the prefent, fuppofe the probabilities equal on both fides. And upon this fuppofition, I doubt not to make it appear to be a monftrous folly to deride thefe things; becaufe, though the arguments on both fides were equal, yet the danger and hazard is infinitely unequal.

If it prove true, that there is no God, the religious man may be as happy in this world as the Atheist: nay, the principles of religion and virtue do, in their own nature, tend to make him happier; because they give fatisfaction to his mind, and his confcience by this means is freed from many fearful girds and twinges which the Atheist feels. Befides, that the practice of religion and virtue doth naturally promote our temporal felicity. It is more for a man's health, and more for his reputation,. and more for his advantage in all other worldly refpecs, to lead a virtuous, than a vitious courfe of life: and for the other world, if there be no God, the cafe of the religious man and the Atheist will be alike; because they will both be extinguifhed by death, and infenfible of any farther happiness or misery.

But then, if the contrary opinion fhould prove true,. that there is a God, and that the fouls of men are tranfmitted out of this world into the other, there to receive the juft reward of their actions; then it is plain to every man, at first fight, that the cafe of the religious man and the Atheist must be vastly different: then, where fhall the wicked and the ungodly appear? and what think we fhall be the portion of those who have affronted God, and derided his word, and made a mock of every thing that is facred and religious? what can they expect, but to be rejected by him whom they have renounced, and to feel the terrible effects of that power and juice which they have defpifed: So that, though the argu ments on both fides were equal, yet the danger is not fo. On the one fide there is none at all, but it is inf

E. 2.

nite

nite on the other. And, confequently, it must be a monftrous folly for any man to make a mock of those things which he knows not whether they be or not; and if they be, of all things in the world they are no jefting matters.

3dly, Suppofe there be a God, and that the principles of religion are true, then it is not only a heinous impiety, but a perfect madness, to fcoff at these things. And that there is a God, and that the principles of religion are true, I have already, in my former difcourse, endeavoured to prove, both from the things which are made, and from the general confent of mankind in these principles; of which univerfal confent, no fufficient reafon can be given, unless they were true and fuppofing they are fo, it is not only the utmost pitch of impiety, but the highest flight of folly that can be imagined, to deride these things. To be difobedient to the commands of God, is a great contempt; but to deny his being, and to make sport with his word, and to endeavour to render it ridiculous, by turning the wife and weighty fayings of that holy book into raillery, is a moft direct affront to the God that is above. Thus the Pfalmift defcribes thefe Atheistical perfons as levelling their blafphemies immediately against the majefty of heaven: They fet their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth; they do mifchief among men, but the affront is immediately to God.

Befides that this profane fpirit is an argument of a moft incorrigible temper. The wife man every where fpeaks of the fcorner as one of the worst fort of finners, and hardelt to be reclaimed; because he defpifeth instruction, and mocks at all the means whereby he should be reformed.

And then, is it not a most black and horrid ingratitude, thus to use the author of our beings, and the pa tron of our lives; to make a fcorn of him that made us; and to live in an open defiance of him, in whom we live, move, and have our beings? But this is not all. As it is a moft heinous, fo it is a moft dangerous impiety, to delpife him who can deftroy us, and to oppofe him who is infinitely more powerful than we are. Will ye (fays the Apoftle) provoke the Lord to jealoufy? are ye ftrong

en

er than he? What Gamaliel faid to the Jews, in another cafe, may, with a little change, be applied to this fort of men: If there be a God, and the principles of religion be true, je cannot overthrow them therefore refrain from fpeaking evil against these things, left ye be found fighters against God..

I will but add one thing more, to fhew the folly of this profane temper; and that is this, That as it is the greatest of all other fins, fo there is in truth the leat temptation to it. When the devil tempts men with riches or honours to ruin themselves, he offers them fome kind of confideration :. but the profane perfon ferves the devil for nought, and fins only for fin's sake; fuffers himself to be tempted to the greateft fins, and into the greatest dangers, for no other reward but the flender reputation of feeming to say that wittily which no wife man would fay. And what a folly is this, for aman to offend his confcience to please his humour; and, only for his jeft, to lofe two of the best friends he hath. in the world, God, and his own foul?

I have done with the three things I propounded to fpeak to upon this argument. And now I beg your patience, to apply what I have faid to these three purepofes.

1. To take men off from this impious and dangerous < folly of profaneness, which by fome is mifcalled wit. 2. To caution men, not to think the worfe of religion › because fome are fo bold as despise and deride it.

3. To perfuade men to employ that reafon and wit which God hath given them to better and nobler purpofes, in the fervice and to the glory of that God who› hath beltowed thefe gifts on men.

ift, To take men off from this impious and dangerous folly. I know not how it comes to país, that fome: men have the fortune to be efteemed wits, only for jefting out of the common road, and for making bold to fcoff at those things which the greatest part of mankind : reverence as if man fhould be accounted a wit for reviling thofe in authority; which is no more an argument of any man's wit, than it is of his difcretion.. A wife man would not fpeak contemptuously of a great prince, though he were out of his dominions; because he remembers that kings have long hands, and that

F. 3.

their

their power and influence does many times reach a great way farther than their direct authority. But God is as great king, and in his hands are all the corners of the earth we can go no whither from his spirit, nor can we flee from his prefence: where-ever we are, his eye fees us, and his right hand can reach us. If men did trulyconfult the intereft, either of their fafety or reputation, they would never exercise their wit in dangerous matters. Wit is a very commendable quality; but then a wife man fhould always have the keeping of it. It is a fharp weapon, as apt for mischief as for good purposes, if it be not well managed. The proper use of it is, to feafon converfation, to reprefent what is praife worthy to the greatest advantage, and to expofe the vices and. follies of men, fuch things as are in themselves truly ridiculous but if it be applied to the abufe of the graveft and most ferious matters, it then lofes its commendation. If any man thinks he abounds in this quality, and hath wit to fpare, there is fcope enough for it within the bounds of religion and decency; and when it tranfgreffeth thefe, it degenerates into infolence and impiety. All wit which borders upon profanenefs, and makes bold with thofe things to which the greatest reverence is due, deferves to be branded for folly.

:

And if we would preferve ourselves from the infection of this vice, we must take head how we fcoff at religion, under any form, left infenfibly we derive fome contempt upon religion itself. And we muft likewife take heed how we accuftom curfelves to a flight and irreverent ufe of the name of God, and of the phrafes and expreffions of the holy Bible, which ought not to be applied upon every light occafion. Men will eafily flide into the highest degree of profaneness who are not careful to preferve a due reverence for the great and glorious name of God, and an awful regard to the holy fcriptures. None fo nearly difpofed to fcoffing at religion, as thofe who have accustomed themfelves to fwear upon trifling occafions. For it is just with God to permit those who allow themfelves in one degree of profanenefs, to proceed to another, till at laft they come to that height of impiety, as to contemn all religion.

adly, Let no man think the worfe of religion, because fome are to bold as to defpife and deride it for it is

до

no difparagement to any perfon or thing to be laughed at, but to deferve to be fo. The most grave and serious matters in the whole world are liable to be abused. It

is a known faying of Epictetus, "That every thing.

"hath two handles;" by which he means, that there is nothing fo bad but a man may lay hold of fomething or other about it that will afford matter of excuse and extenuation; nor nothing fo excellent but a man may faften upon fomething or other belonging to it whereby. to traduce it. A fharp wit may find something in the wifeft man whereby to expose him to the contempt of injudicious people. The gravest book that ever was written may be made ridiculous, by applying the fayings of it to a foolish purpose; for a jeft may be obtru ded upon any thing. And therefore no man ought to have the lefs reverence for the principles of religion, or for the holy fcriptures, because idle and profane wits can break jefts upon them. Nothing is fo eafy as to take particular phrafes and expreffions out of the best book in the world, and to abufe them, by forcing an odd and ridiculous fenfe upon them. But no wife man will think a good book foolish for this reafon, but the man that abuses it; nor will he esteem that to which every thing is liable, to be a juft exception against any thing. At this rate, we must despise all things: furely the better and the fhorter way is, to contemn those who would bring any thing that is worthy into contempt.

but

3dly, and lastly, To perfuade men to employ that reafon and wit which God hath given them to better and nobler purposes, in the fervice and to the glory of that God who hath beftowed these gifts on men; as Aholiab and Bezaleel did, their mechanical skill in the adorning. and beautifying of God's tabernacle. For this is the perfection of every thing, to attain its true and proper end; and the end of all thofe gifts and endowments which God hath given us, is, to glorify the giver.

:

Here is fubject enough to exercise the wit of men and angels to praife that infinite goodness, and almighty power, and exquifite wifdom, which made us and all things; and to admire what we can never fufficiently praife to vindicate the wife and juft providence of God, in the government of the world; and to endeavour, as

well