*

Slavery? No, they can neither bear a thorow Liberty, nor a thorow Slavery.

To frame a stubborn People to your Will, 'Tis beft not treat 'em over-well,nor treat 'em over-ill.

Then they do beft in a Temper between Liberty and Slavery? No, they can never find this Temper, nor long abide in't. 'Tis the Nature of the Multitude, either to crouch like Slaves, or lord it like Tyrants. That Liberty which lies between both, they know not how to part with, nor how to preferve.

SECT. CXC. The Reason of this, WOU'D you know the Reason why Men

won't away with a Religion which indulges nothing, nor a Religion which permits all? I'l tell you, because of one hand their carnal Lufts are craving for a Good-natur'd Religion; and common Sense tells 'em on the other, That to be true, and worthy our Obedience, a Religion ought to come from God, and God can never authorize Sin. For which Reafon, he who fits down to chufe a Religion, and deals honestly with his own Heart, will ne'er chufe one which teaches the practice of Vice; because this very thing fhews it's not from God, and that 'tis a pure Invention of

Nec totam fervitutem pati poffunt, nec totam libertatem. Tacit. Hift. 1. I. † Solon apud Plutarch. in Parall. Solon. & Poplicola. Hæc natura multitudinis eft, aut fervit humiliter, aut fuperbè dominatur. Libertatem quæ media eft nec fpernere modicè, nec habere fciunt. Liv. Dec. 3. 1, I.

Men,

Men, which no body is bound in Confcience to obey. But if he fees a Religion which enjoins the practice of all Vertues in the highest degree, what will he fay then? He muft acknowledg it has the Characters of Divine, if he examine it carefully, and must refolve to embrace it, unless the Love of Vice with-holds. Which fhews, tho an Atheist expreffes a Contempt and Horror for the falfe Religions, we can't conclude he'l exprefs a like for the true, more than an Idolater. On the contrary, he feems to be in a better ftate for discovering its Divinity, than a Pagan; because the Pagan is not now to think of chufing a Religion. He had one put upon him long before he came to the Ufe of Reafon; he's highly pleas'd with it, and won't fo much as examine whether tis poffible any thing in't fhou'd be amifs.

Be that how it will, we'l allow the reclaiming Atheists and Idolaters equally difficult, if confi der'd by their Difpofition of Heart, equally bad in both, and equally capable of being mended or mar'd by the Impreffions of Cuftom, Education, Acquaintance, or that particular Taft which grows up with us. But as 'tis certain, a Mind wedded to a falfe Religion, is harder fet right than one without any Religion at all; we must allow, that Atheists, take all Circumftances together, are easier converted to the true God than Idolaters.

SECT. CXCI. Whether the outward Profef fion of Religion can be any benefit to 'em.

ONE might add, That Atheists making no

Scruple of outwardly profeffing the Chriftian Religion, are likelier to be charm'd by it

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than

than Idolaters; who from the falfe Principles they have imbib'd, abhor the very Name and outward Profeffion. But to this Reafon may be oppos'd the Experience of the Spanish and Portugueze Inquifitions, which daily discover intire Familys of Jews, Jews even to Fire and Faggot, who from time immemorial have made profeffion of Chriftianity; and the better to impofe on the Neighborhood, been very regular in the outward Exercifes of the Catholick Religion: Besides, that Atheists, generally fpeaking, make profeffion of the Court-Religion. Whence it follows, that for one who bears the outward Form of a Chriftian, there are a hundred do not. I faid, generally fpeaking, because it's known, fome Men utterly void of a Senfe of Religion, continue as to the outward Profeffion in the Sect they were bred, tho it has not worldly Advantages on its fide; either that they are void of Ambition, or that the Appearances are kept with less trouble in their own way; or that they have a vanity of being thought conftant, or won't difoblige their Friends or Parents, or not be thought to change out of Interest, or for any other Reafon.

SECT. CXCII. Why he has enlarg'd fo
much on this Matter.

TH

Hefe, Sir, are fome of the Reasons, by which I not long fince heard a Perfon, as illuftrious for his Piety as Learning, prove Idolatry to be worse than Atheism. I fear I have drawn 'em out to too great a length, and infifted too long on an Incident which carry'd me off from my first Design. But as his Difcourfe touch'd me very

fenfibly,

fenfibly, and made me enter into my felf more perhaps than any Sermon, and even apprehend that the little Good which may be in me, is exceeding imperfect, becaufe of the human Motives which mix but too often; I had a mind to know your Thoughts of this Doctrine, and for this Reafon explain'd it at large: befide its being highly agreeable to the account of the Fall of Adam, and very oppofite to the Pelagians *. It seems at firft fight to extenuate the Atrocity of Atheifm: but fcan his Defign ever fo little, you'l fee he's agreed, that Atheism in it felf is a State of fuch Malediction, and in which Men are fo abandon'd, as ftrikes a horror; tho he do's not believe it the highest Degree of Reprobation, when compar'd with the Infamys of Paganifm.

SECT. CXCIII. A Reflection on Plutarch's Treatife of Superftition.

F you compare this Difcourfe with that of Plutarch on a like Subject, I perfuade my self you'l find, the Antient has no way the advantage, whether you confider the Matter, or the Manner of treating this Point. I may be allow'd to praise what I have no great part in, and fhew wherein he excels one of the greatest Men of Antiquity.

Plutarch's defign is to prove, that Superftition is worse than Atheism. Now as Idolatry is infinitely more abominable than Superftition, 'tis plain this Author has work'd on Matter much lefs odious, lefs fhocking and extravagant than that of the Differtation I have given you. As for the

See before Selt. 160.

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manner

1

manner of handling it, 'tis evident there's a greater Compafs and Force in the Reafonings here, than in Plutarch's Treatife; and an infinite variety of Ideas, which there's not the leaft appearance he e'er thought of. The Reafon he urges moft, and which he lays a mighty ftrefs on, is the weakeft in the World. He compares the Inquietudes of a fuperftitious Soul, with the Security of an Atheift; and pretends, because Atheism lets Men enjoy a profound Peace, and Superftition throws 'em into continual Alarms, one is much worfe than t'other. With fubmiffion to this Great Man, he neither understood the Queftion, nor reafons aright: For our business is not to compare Atheifm and Superftition in their Phyfical Good, but only with relation to their Moral Effects. Now it's certain, there are fome things morally better than others, which yet don't afford fo much Indolence and carnal Security. Who doubts but fome People's Reft is broke a nights by their meditating on the Importance of Salvation, whilft those who reel to Bed dead-drunk, fleep moft profoundly? Muft we therefore fay, it's better drown one's Senfes with Drink, than meditate on the Four last Things? By Plutarch's way of Reafoning we shou'd prove, 'tis better lie in the downy Bed of Pleasure, free from Care, than work Night and Day, as an honeft Lawyer may do for an opprefs'd Client; and that perfecuted Vertue is worfe than profperous Vice. He reafon'd then fomewhat amifs in this place.

L

Yet I own this Treatife of Plutarch is not unworthy of the Praises beftow'd on't by Mr. Le Fevre, Father to the Illuftrious Madamoiselle le Fevre, who has enrich'd the Publick with fo many

learned