Divine Power. And it is well known that the late great Contemner of Religion among Us, as Abfurd a Reafoner, and as Dogmatical an Affumer (for these two qualitys are feldom feparated) as Epicurus himself, was as fearful too, even of thofe things which he would have made the World believe were Bugbears only to frighten Children, and keep the Vulgar in Subjection. Thro Fear of Death he was all his long Life-time fubject to Bondage; and after all his falfe Outward Confidence, was at laft forc'd to betray the Secret Misboding of His Soul, which he breath'd out with a Confeffion full of Horror, That He was going to take a great Leap into the Dark. So truly does the Character that the Wife Man gives the Old Egyptian Magicians, fuit with both the Ancient and Modern Atheistical Philofophers, Wisdom 17. 8. Their Vaunting in Wisdom was reprov'd with Difgrace, For they that promis'd to drive away Terrors from a fick Soul, were fick themfelves of Fear worthy to be laugh'd at. Worthy indeed to be laugh'd at for the Folly, but feriously to be pity'd for the Mifery of it. For is not this a Kind of Hell already begun upon Earth, to live always wishing that there is no God, nor fhall be any Judgment, and yet in perpetual Doubt and horrible Dread, that the One furely is, and the Other as certainly must be?

But.

But Thirdly, The Folly and Unreafonableness of wilful Infidelity will more eminently and confpicuously fhew itself, if we compare together the two different Choices that the honeft Believing Chriftian and the Wicked Infidel make. The One cheerfully and conftantly trufts and depends upon God, for the Happiness both of this Life and that to come: And by this means makes the good things of this World, which he thankfully Poffeffes and innocently Ufes, yield the more folid Comfort and Pleafure; and even the Evil things thereof, when they fall to his lot, he bears not only with Content and Submiffion, but with Satisfaction and Thankfulness too; having thofe Joys before him in which all his Sorrows fhall End. This is a State that gives fuch inward Repofe of Mind, fuch Peace of Heart, fuch Spiritual Confolation, as, if it were poffible to be false, yet is more valuable and carrys more present folid Satisfaction with it, than all the deceitfull Pleafures of the moft Voluptuous Life. The Heathen Philofopher could go thus far; The Belief of Immortality, if this be an Error, Libenter Erro, "I err "willingly and gladly. Who would part with so sweet a Delufion, were it nothing elfe? Who would not cherish fuch an Opinion, that brings fo wonderful Confolation with it? But the chiefeft thing of all is, that if

this be an Error, yet there is no Danger in it. Unexpreffible Torment and Unsupportable Mifery are not the difmal Confequences of it. If the Believer fhould happen to be deceiv'd, no real Harm, no Mifery enfues; he refts as fecurely in his Eternal Sleep as the moft Confident Denyer of Immortality, and feels neither Senfe of his Lofs, nor Difappointment of his Hopes. But if the Infidel is Deceiv'd, and all the Judgements and Eternal Vengeance denounc'd againft Impenitence and Unbelief prove true, as moft affuredly they will, what Words can Exprefs, what Thoughts Comprehend the Mifery of his Condition? So that seeing the Cafe fo ftands, that even in this Life, all things confider'd, the Religious Man has the better of the Unbeliever, and that after this Life the Worst that can befall him, which is to be no more, is the Beft that can happen to the Other; One would think it were not difficult to make the Choice which Side to be of, and that it is but reasonable to conclude, that He that with a good Heart Believeth unto Righteousnes is the only Wife Man; and that He is guilty of the Desperatest and most Destructive Folly, who out of an Evil Heart of Unbelief departeth from the Living God.

I fhall

I fhall make but an Inference or two as briefly as poffible and conclude.

If then Wilfull Infidelity and Folly be linkt fo close together, let us be no longer Fools but Wife; and what Wisdom is, Holy Job tells us, or rather God himself, for unto Man He Says, the Fear of the Lord, that is Wifdom; and to depart from Evil, is UnderStanding. Since we may arrive to the worst and laft Degree of Infidelity, as has been fhewn, by going on in our Sins, and falling in love with our fleshly Lufts; let it be our chiefeft Study, our firft Business, to Subdue and Mortify them; let us Root out those Evil Inclinations that corrupt and darken our Minds. Let us have an efpecial Care of continuing in any One known and wilfull Sin, for whoever do's fo, has made one Step towards his departing from the living God, do's at leaft fay in his Heart, in his Wishes, whether he is aware of it or no, There is none. To how great a degree of Atheism may a Man be therefore advanc ing before he percieve it? for the Heart, as the Prophet fays, is deceitful above all things, who can know it? Do's not this then deferve our stricteft guard? is not Solomon's counfel highly neceffary, My Son keep thy Heart with all diligence? Ought we not to watch with the utmoft Circumfpection against this damning Sin of Infidelity, that fo fubtilly

and

and unobfervedly creeps into Our Hearts? Ought we not with Indignation to throw put thofe Traytors within us, Our wicked Affections, that open the door and let in the Enemy into Our Bofoms? Let us all then Confcientiously set about this Work, let us banish all thofe Vices that betray us, those Lufts that blind us, thofe inordinate Defires that make us ftrive against the Truth of Religion. Let us cleanse our Consciences from dead Works, and then, and not till then, we may hope to be fill'd with a Living Faith. And then let us add to our Faith Virtue, and fo proceed from Faith to Faith, from Faith Believing to Faith Obeying, from Faith Enlighten'd by Knowledge to Faith Working by Love. Being Actually exercis'd and dayly converfant in Religion will give us a furer and more fatisfactory Notion and Feeling of it, than the most elaborate Writings of Divinity; will make us more intimately and entirely perceive it, than those that have Read or Writ much of it, or heard or made long Difcourfes about it. Let us pour out our earnest Prayers, that God would by his Grace take from our Affections the Natural Pravity and Malice, whereby we are made Enemys to Spiritual Notions; that we may receive the Truth, not only in the Light, but the Love of it. And then let us make the Experi-.

ment