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CHAP. II.
A DIRECT PROOF THAT RELIGION 1S THE BEST
KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM.
§ I. Religion is the best Knowledge:
I. Because it is the knowledge of those things
which are in themselves most excellent and
desirable to be known; and those are, God, and
our duty
16
II. Because it is the knowledge of those
things which are most useful and necessary for
us to know
§ II. To be Religious is the truest Wisdom:
20
I. Because it is to be wise for ourselves. 24
II. Because it is to be wise as to our main
interest and concernment
CHAP. III.
THE IGNORANCE AND FOLLY OF IRRELIGION.
25
All that are irreligious are so, either because
they do not believe the foundations and princi-
ples of Religion-or because, though they do in
some sort believe these things, they live con-
trary to this their belief:-the former are
guilty of SPECULATIVE, the latter of PRACTICAL
ATHEISM
29
PART I.-SPECULATIVE ATHEISM.
§ I.
SPECULATIVE ATHEISM IS UNREASONABLE, be-
cause it gives no tolerable account of the exist-
ence of the world.
31
I. The hypothesis of the ARISTOTELIAN ATHE-
IST considered, who asserts, That not only
the matter but also the frame of this world
is eternal; and that, as to the main, things
always were as they are, without any first
cause of their being
33
First. There are fair proofs on the side of the Believer,
and as convincing as the nature of the thing is capable of;
but there is no pretence of proof on the side of the Atheist.
The question, Whether the world was created and had a
beginning, or not? can be decided only by Testimony, and
by Probabilities of Reason
36
Testimony of two sorts-universal tradition, and written
history, both plainly and beyond dispute on the side of the
Believer.
The Probabilities of Reason do all likewise favour the
beginning of the world, viz.
The want of any history or tradition more ancient than
what is consistent with the received opinion of the
time of the world's beginning.
The account which we have of the original of learning
and the most useful arts in several parts of the
46
The several parts of which the world consists, being (so
far as we can judge) in their nature corruptible, it is
more than probable that, in an infinite duration, this
frame of things would long since have been dis-
solved
Secondly. The most pressing difficulties are on that side
on which there is no proof.
Two things objected by the Atheist, viz. the difficulties
that there are in the notion of a God, and in making
the world of nothing, answered
Two great and real difficulties on the side of the
Atheist, viz.
54
1. That men generally have always believed that the
world had a beginning, and was made by God 56
2. To assert mankind to have been of itself, and without
a cause, hath this invincible objection against it, that
we plainly see every man to be from another . . 57
II. The hypothesis of the EPICUREAN ATHEIST
considered, viz. The matter of the world
being supposed to be eternal, and of itself,
the original of this vast and beautiful
frame must be ascribed merely to Chance,
and the casual concourse of the parts of
matter.
§ II.
59
cause it gives no reasonable account of the uni-
versal consent of mankind in this apprehension
The true reason of this universal consent
Reasons assigned by the Atheist considered, viz.
67
1. The apprehension of a God springs from an infinite
jealousy in the mind of man, and an endless Fear of
the worst that may happen
68
2. If Fear be not a sufficient account of this universal
consent, it may very probably be resolved into uni-
versal Tradition
74
3. This noise about a God is a mere state-engine and
a politic device, invented at first by some great prince
or minister of state, to keep people in awe and
order ..
76
The objection" that the universal consent of mankind
in the apprehension of a God is no more an argument that
He really is, than the general agreement of so many na-
tions for so many ages in the worship of many gods is an
argument that there are many," answered
§ III.
82
SPECULATIVE ATHEISM IS ABSURD, because it
requires more evidence for things than they
are capable of.
§ IV.
85
THE ATHEIST IS UNREASONABLE, because he
pretends to know that which no man can know,
and to be certain of that which nobody can be
certain of, viz. That there is no God, and that it
is not possible there should be one
89
§ V.
cause it contradicts itself
92
SPECULATIVE ATHEISM, as it is unreasonable,
so is it A MOST IMPRUDENT AND UNCOMFORTABLE
OPINION.
I. Because it is against the present interest
and happiness of mankind
94
II. Because it is infinitely hazardous and un-
safe in the issue
PART II.-PRACTICAL ATHEISM.
107
The imputation of Credulity, or believing
those things for which we have no sufficient
reason, and consequently of which we can have
no good assurance.
117