BAYERISCHE BIBLIOTHEK MUSBOKEN PREFACE. A we are at war with the power, it were well if we were at war with the manners of France. A land of levity, is a land of guilt. A ferious mind is the native foil of every virtue; and the fingle character that does true honour to mankind. The foul's immortality has been the favourite theme with the serious of all ages. Nor is it frange; it is a fubject by far the most interesting, and important, that can enter the mind of man. Of highest moment this subject always was, and always will be. Yet this its highest moment seems to admit of increase, at this day; a fort of occafional importance is fuperadded to the natural weight of it; if that opinion which is advanced in the preface to the preceding Night, be juft. It is there fuppofed, that all our infidels, whatever fcheme, for argument's fake, and to keep themselves in countenance, they patronize, are betray'd into their deplorable error, by fome doubts of their immortality, at the bottom. And the more I confider this point, the more I am perfuaded of the truth of that opinion. Though the diftruft of a futurity is a strange error; yet it is an error into which bad men may natu.... rally be diftreffed. For it is impoffible to bid defiance to B 2 final final ruin, without fome refuge in imagination, fome prefumption of efcape. And what prefumption is there? There are but two in nature; but two, within the compafs of human thought. And thefe are,-That either GOD will not, or can not punish. Confidering the divine attributes, the firft is too grofs to be digefted by our ftrongest wishes. And fince omnipotence is as much a divine attribute as holiness, that GOD cannot punish, is as abfurd a fuppofition, as the former. GOD certainly can punish as long as wicked men exift. In nonexistence, therefore, is their only refuge; and, confequently, non-existence is their strongest wish. And ftrong wishes have a strange influence on our opinions; they bias the judgment in a manner, almoft, incredible. And fince on this member of their alternative, there are some very fmall appearances in their favour, and none at all on the other, they catch at this reed, they lay hold on this chimara, to fave themselves from the shock and horror of an immediate and abfolute defpair. On reviewing my fubject, by the light which this argument, and others of like tendency, threw upon it, I was more inclin'd than ever to pursue it, as it appear'd to me to firike directly at the main root of all our infidelity. In the following pages it is, accordingly, purfu'd at large; and fame arguments for immortality, new at least to me, are ventur'd on in them. There also the writer has made an attempt to fet the gross abfurdities and horrors of annihilation in a fuller and more affecting view, than is (I think) to be met with elsewhere. The gentlemen, for whofe fake this attempt was chiefly made, profefs great admiration for the wisdom of heathen antiquity: What pity 'tis they are not fincere! If they were fincere, how would it mortify them to confider, with what contempt, and abhorrence, their notions would have been been received by those whom they so much admire? What degree of contempt and abhorrence would fall to their fhare, may be conjectur'd by the following matter of fact (in my opinion) extremely memorable. Of all their heathen worthies, Socrates, ('tis well known) was the most guarded, difpaffionate, and compofed: Yet this great mafter of temper was angry; and angry at his last hour; and angry with his friend; and angry for what deferv'd acknowlegement; angry for a right and tender inftance of true friendship towards him. Is not this furprising? What could be the caufe? The caufe was for his honour; it was a truly noble, tho', perhaps, a too punctilious, regard for immortality: For his friend asking him, with fuch an affectionate concern as became a friend, "Where be fhould depofit his remains ?" It was refented by Socrates, as implying a dishonourable fuppofition, that he could be fo mean, as to have a regard for any thing, even in himself, that was not IMMORTAL. This fact well confidered, would make our infidels withdraw their admiration from Socrates; or make them endeavour, by their imitation of this illustrious example, to fhare his glory: And, confequently, it would incline them to peruse the following pages with candour and impartiality: Which is all I defire; and that, for their fakes: For I am perfuaded, that an unprejudiced infidel muft, neceffarily, receive fome advantageous impreffions from them. July 7, 1744. CON B3 CONTENTS of the Seventh Night. In the fixth Night arguments were drawn, from NATURE, in proof of immortality: Here, others are drawn from MAN: From his Difcontent, p. 8; from his Paffions and Powers, 9; from the gradual growth of Reason, ibid. from his fear of Death, 10; from the nature of Hope, ibid. and of Virtues 11, &c. from Knowledge, and Love, as being the most effential properties of the foul, 14; from the Order of Creation, 15, &c. from the nature of Ambition, 17, &c. Avarice, 20: Pleafure, 21. A digreffion on the grandeur of the Paffions, 22, 23. Immortality alone renders our prefent state intelligible, 23. An objection from the Stoics difbelief of immortality answered, 24. Endlefs queftions unrefolv able, but on fuppofition of our immortality, 25. The natural, most melancholy, and pathetic complaint of a worthy man, under the perfuafion of no futurity, 26, &c. The grofs abfurdities and horrors of annihilation urg'd home on LORENZO, 31, &c. The foul's vaft importance, 36, &c. from whence it arifes, 39, 40. The Difficulty of being an infidel, 41, the Infamy, ibid. the Caufe, 42, and the Character, ibid. of an infidel ftate. What true free-thinking is, 43, 44. The neceffary punishment of the falfe, 45. Man's ruin is from himself, 46. An infidel accufes himself of guilt, and hypocrify; and that of the worst fort, ibid. His obligation to Chriftians, 47. What danger he incurs by Virtue, ibid. Vice recommended to him, 48. His high pretences to Virtue, and Benevolence, exploded, ibid. The conclufion, on the nature of Faith, 49. Reafon, ibid; and Hope, 50; with an apology for this attempt, 51. |