The P R E F A C E. in 'lJeath, and nothing remains but a wretched h,ap of Afoes, what pre-eminence h~M Man above a Bea.fi ? It foUows therefore in the progrefl of their Reafon 'tu equal to indulge their Appetites ~M the Beafts do. If what is Immortal puts on Mortality, the Confequence u natural, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we mufi die. Now though fopernatural Revelation conjirm'dby Miracles, and the continual Accomplifhment ofProphecies, htM brought Life and I111mortality into that open light, that the meane.fi Chriftian h~M a fuUer and more certain Evidence of it, than the cleare.fi fpirits of the Heathens everhad; yet becaufe the weight of Authorityu of no force with Libertines, 'tu necelfary to argue ftom common Principles, which they cannot difa'I)Ow. Indeed the Shield of Faith, and the Sword of the Spirit are our be.fi Defence in the Holy War; but with the ufe of equal .Arms, Reafons againft Reafons, the Caufe of Religion wiU be vitforioUA. 'Tu the dejign ofthe enfuing Treatife todifcover by the light of Nature invi.fible ObJelfs, v~z. that a Sovewgn Spmt made and governs the fe'!fible World; that there u anlmmortal Soul m Man, andanEternalftateof Happinefl or Mifery expelts htm hereafter. There u juch a necejfary Connezion between thefe Supreme Truths, the Being ofGod, and future Recompences to Men, that the denial ofthe one includes the denial of the other. 'Tu uncertain which ofthe two i~ the jir.fi ftep, whether Men defCend from the dubelief ofthe future flat e to Atheifm, or from Atheifm to Infidelity in that point. Some ezceUent Perfons have impll?)ed their Talents on thu Subje8, from whom I have received advant~p in compiling the prefent Work. I bave been careful not to build upon falje Arches, but on fobjlantial Proofs, and to perfwade Truth with Truth, tM becomes ajincere CounfeUor, andweU-willer to Souls. And if the fecure Perfon wiU but attentively and impartially co'!fider, he mujl he convinc'd that 'tu the only true Wifdom to believe and prevent, and not venture on the trial of things in that ftate, where there u no other mending of the error, but an everlafting farrow for it. Thofe whofe Hearts are Jo irrecoverably depraved, that no Motives can per[wad, to examine what fo nearly touches themwith calmnefl andJobriety, and their Minds fo fa· taUyftupijied, that no Arguments can awaken, mufi miferably feel what they wilfully doubt of; whom the Light does not convince, the Fire /hall. OF
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