Serra. LXÌV. `Ihe 'Prejudices again/t Chri/hianity confider'd. 467 Man more undaunted as to Death, and the Confequences of it, than the Peace of his ownMind; for á Man not to be confcious to himfelf of having wilfully difpleafed him, who alone can make us happy or miferable in the other World. So that a good Man, being fecureof the Favour of God, may upon that Account reafonably hope for a greater Happinefs after Death than other Men: whereasa bad Man, if he be fober, andhave his Senfes awakened to a ferious Confiderati- on of things, cannot but be afraid todye; and be extreamly anxious and folici- tous what will become of him in another World. And furely it would make the ftouteft Man breathing afraid to venture upon Death, when he fees Hell beyond it. Poflibly there may be force Monfters of Men, who may have fo far fupprefs'd the Senfe of Religion, and ftupified their Confciences, as in a good Meafure to have conquer'd the fears of Death, and of the Confequences of it. But this happensbut to veryfew, as the Poet tells us in the Perfon of an Epicurean. Felixqui potuit reruns cognofcere caufas, Atque meter omnes & inexorabile fatum Subjecit pedibus firepitumq; Archerontis avari. There are very few that attain to this Temper, and but at forte times. So that if Vice and Wickednefs do generally break the Firmnefs of Men's Spirits; it re- mains, that nothingbut Religion can generally give Men Courage againft Death. And this theChriftian Religion does eminently to thofe who live according to it; our bleffed Saviour having delivered us from the fear of Death, by conquering Death for us, and giving us Affurance of the glorious Rewards of another Life. (t.) Meeknefs, and Patience, andHumility, and Modelty, and fuch Virtues of Chriftianity,, do not in Reafon tend to difpirit Men, and break their true Courage, but only to regulate it, and take away the Fiercenefs and Brutifhnefs of it. This we fee in Experience, that Menof thetrueft Courage, have many times haft of Pride and Infolence, of Paffion and Fiercenefs. Thofe who are better bred, are commonly of more gentle and civil Difpofitions: But yet they do not therefore want true Courage, though they have not the Roughnefs and Fool-hat., dinefs of Men of ruder Breeding. So in atrue Chriftian, Courage and Greatnefs of Mind is very confiftent with Meeknefs, and Patience, and Humility. Not that all good Men are very courageous 5 there is muchof this in the Natural Tem- pers of Men, which Religion does not quite alter. But that which I am con- cerned to maintain is, that Chriftianity is no hindrance to Mens Courage, and that ceteris paribus, fuppofing Men of equal Tempers, no Man bath fo much eafon tobevaliant, as he that hath a good Confcience; I do not mean a blufte- ring, and boifterous, and rafh Courage; but a fober, and calm, and fixt Valour. 2. I appeal to Experience for the Truth of this. Did ever greater Courage and Contempt of Death appear in all Ages, and Sexes, and Conditions of Men, than in the Primitive Martyrs? Were any of the Heathen Soldiers comparable to theChriftian Legion, for Refolution and Courage, even the Heathens themfelves being Judges? The Religion of Mahomet feems to be contrived to infpire Men with Fiercenefs and Defperatenefsof Refolution, and yet I do not find, but that generally where there hath been any equallity for Number, the Chriftians have been fuperior to them in Valour, and have given greater Infiances of Refolution and Courage, than the Turks have done. So that I wonder upon what Grounds this Objection hath been taken up againft Chriftianity, when there is nothing either in theNature of this Religion, or from the Experience of the World, to give any tolerable Countenance to it. And furely the heft way to know what Effie&any Religion is likely tohave upon theMinds of Men, is to confider what Effeás it hath had in the confiant Experience of. Mankind. There remains the other two Obje lions, which I mention'd, but I mutt referve them to another Opportunity. Ooo á SER=
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