Writ to contradict any of the most Evident Mathematical Truths, is, because it never was the Intereft of any Prince or People to have the Contrary believ'd; else he do's not doubt upon due Encouragement from hopes of Reward, Ambition, Self-Love, or other like Motives, but that the moft Evident and Certain Principles in Geometry might have been as much the Subject of Debate and Controversy as even Morality, or Politicks, or Divinity. This founds fomewhat odd, and almost incredible at first hearing: but we muft do him this right to own, that his Own Example made his Obfervation good. For He himself after all his high Flights and Flourishes, over and over, upon every Occafion, upon no Occafion pour'd out in Praise of his Once beloved Mathematicks, especially for their convincing Clearness and undoubted Certainty; as foon as his Vanity and Ambition and Self-Love came to be concern'd in the Cause, by his being baffled and expos'd for Pretending to more in his Way than he Understood, fets himself on Work to difpute against the plaineft Demonftrations, with as much Vehemence and Ill Manners as ever any Difpute of Right or Wrong was manag'd with. Now he tells us, that there are full as great Cheats, Erand Falsehoods in the Proofs of Geometricians as any other Men, Geometrarum,

rors,

fays

fays he, totam invado Nationem, he proclaims War with the whole Race of 'em, and is forc'd at laft to this Extravagant Exclamation; "Either I my felf, or all the Mathema"ticians in the World befide are stark Mad! I made use the rather of this Inftance, and dwelt the longer upon it, because it is of the Man who by his Writings has been One of the greatest Promoters of Atheism, that this laft Age has produc'd; That his Difciples may confider and obferve, by their Master's Example, how mighty and controlling a Force the Affections and Paffions have over the Judgement and Understanding; and not wonder therefore, if They themselves, bringing with 'em a strong Inclination and vehement Defire to get rid of the Senfe of Religion, fhould take even the triffling Sophiftry of the Leviathan for no less than Demonftration.

And this ftrong Byafs, by which Men's Wills and Defires draw over & engage their Opinions and Belief, appears no where more visible, than where upon the Account of the Infinite and Eternal Importance of the Subject, it ought leaft of all to bear any sway, namely in Matters of Religion. And here it may fafely be affirm'd,that the great & lamentable Encrease & dayly Progrefs of Atheism & Infidelity, fo much & fo juftly complain'd of among us, had its Rife not fo much from

any

any Rational Reluctance in the Underftanding, pretended by Some, to the High Myfterys; as in an Unreasonable Averfion of the Will, too Visible in All, to the Holy Precepts of Chriftianity. Could we look to the Bottom of the Heart of the Generality of Unbelievers, we fhould plainly fee, that 'tis not the fufpected Truth, but the acknowledg'd Goodness of the Gospel that gives indeed the great Offence. They deny the One, but it is because they hate the Other. In a word, the Oppofition that by moft Men is made against Religion, whatever they may pretend, proceeds not from the Difficulty to Apprehend its Doctrines, but from the Unwillingness to Obey its Commands; And the Gospel is rejected, not because in it the Objects of Faith are too Obfcure, but because the Obligations to Holiness are too Plain.

That it is not for want of fufficient Evidence to convince them of the Truth of Religion is demonftrable from this; That they Believe many, innumerable things befide upon very much flenderer Proof. Nay, there is nothing almoft in the World that is beliey'd, the Belief of which is not founded upon lefs fatisfying Grounds than those, upon which is built our moft Holy Faith. It must therefore neceffarily be the Preju dice of the Senfual Appetites and Affections

and

and lower Faculties that hinder their Belief: and for One Infidel made fo by a too weak Understanding; we may fafely affirm, there are Thousands by a too headftrong Will. The Neceffity of Denying all Ungod linefs and Worldly Lufts, of Renouncing the Pleasures, and Pomps, and Vanitys of this World, is fo unwelcome a piece of News to Men that are wholly engag'd, and as it were swallow'd up in them; that their first Care is not to hear this diftaftful Message; and if that can't be avoided, their next endeavour is to leffen and vilify, and, if poffible, quite overthrow the Credit of it. Thus as St Paul fays, 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. If the Gospel be bid, it is hid to them that are loft; In whom the God of this World has blinded the Minds of them that believe not, left the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Chrift should fhine unto them. Should they let this Glorious Light fhine in upon 'em, it would fhame and confound 'em. They cannot bear the Piercing of its Beams and the Discoverys it makes, and therefore they wilfully turn away their Eyes from it, or obftinately fhut and close them against it. They cannot endure to be forc'd to fee, that they are conftantly acting against the clear Manifeftations of Divine Revelation, as well as the Natural Dictates of their Own Reason; and nothing being fo uneafy, nay fo infupportable, to the very

Nature

Nature of Man as to continue doing that, wherein he fhall always condemn himself; they refolving ftill to continue the pursuit of the Courfe that they have begun, are neceffarily driven to devife all the Shifts that Wit can invent for the fmothering this Light, which to their Condemnation is come into the World. For Every One that doth Evil hateth the Light, neither cometh to the Light, left his Deeds fhould be reproved.

These Men say in their Hearts the very fame of Religion itself, as the Atheists in the fecond Chapter of Wisdom do of the Religious Man, It is not for Our turn, it is clean contrary to Our Doings, it upbraideth us with the offending the Law, it was made to reprove Our Thoughts, it is grievous unto us even to behold. No wonder then if they would be very glad to rid themselves of fuch an Eyefore, that they should endeavour to destroy Religion from off the face of the Earth; juft as the foremention'd Wretches conclude to use the Religious Perfon; Let us Examin Him with Despitefulness and Torture, Let us Condemn Him with a Shameful Death, who would make us afham'd of Our Lives.

But it is not for the fake of the Shame only, which this glorious Light of the Gofpel fhining in upon em muft and do's neceffarily produce, tho' that itfelf is fufficiently grievous and tormenting; but also, G

and