466 1he Efficacy, Vfefulnefs, and VoL IL III. As to Future Rewards. Suppofing the Holinefs and Juftice of God,that he loves Righteeufsefs, and hates Iniquity ; and that he is the MagiÉtrate and Gover_ pour of the World, and concerned to countenance Goodnefs, and difcourage Sin and confidering the promifcuous Difpenfation of his Providence in this World, and how all things happen alike to all ; it is moll reafonabic ro conclude, that after this Life, Men (hall be punifh'd and rewarded. Secondly, It is infinitely molt Prudent. In matters of great concernment a Mu- dent Man will incline to the fafeft fide of the Queftion. We have confidcrcd which fide of thefe Q-ueftions is molt reafonable : let us now think which is fa- feft. For it is certainly molt prudent to incline to the fafeft fide of the Qseftion. Suppofing the Keafons for, and againft the Principles of Religion, were equal, yet the danger and hazard is fo unequal, as would fway a Prudent Man to the aflir- mative. Suppofe a Man believe there is no God, nor Life after this ; and fuppofe he be in the right, but not certain tliat he is, (for that I am lure in this Cafe is im- peflible ; ) all the advantage he hash by this Opinion, relates only to this World and this prefent time : for he cannot be the better for it when he is not. Now what advantage will it be to him in this Life ? He (hail have the more liberty to do what he pleafeth 5 that is, it furnifheth him with a ftronger Temptation to be Intemperate, and Lufïful, and Unjuft, that is, to do chafe things which prejudice his Body and his Health, which cloud his Reafon, and darken his Underfianding, which will make him Enemies in the World, and will bring him into danger. So that it is no Advantage to any man tobe Vicious : and yet this is the greateft ufe that is made of Atheiflical Principles; to comfort Men in their Vicious Conifer. But if thou haft a mind to be Virtuous, and Temperate, and Juft, the belief of the Principles of Religion will beno obftacle, but a furtherance to thee in this courfe. All the advantage a Man can hope for by disbelieving the Principles of Religion, is to drape Trouble and Perfecution in this World, which happen to himupon account of Religion. But fuppofing there bea God, and a Life after this ; then what a vaft difference is there of the confequences of thefe Opinions ! As much as between Finiteand Infinite, Time and Eternity. Secondly, To perfwade men to believe the Scriptures, I only offer this tomen's confideratiori. If there be a God, whole Providence governs the World, and all the Creatures in it, is it not reafonable to think that he bath a particular care of men, the nobleft part of this vifible World ? And feeing he hath made them capa- ble of eternal duration ; that he bath provided for their eternal Happinefs, and fuflìciently revealed to them the way to ir, and the terms and conditions of. it ? Now let any Man produce any Book in the World, that pretends to be from God, and to do this ; that for the Matter of it is fo worthy of God, the Do- Urines whereof are fo ufeful, and the Precepts fo reafonable, and the Arguments fo powerful, the truth of all which was confirmed by fo many great and unque- ftionable Miracles, the relation of which path been tranfmitted to Pofterity in Publick and Authentick Records, written by thole who were Eye and Ear Wit- nefles of what they wrote, and free from iufpicion of any Worldly Intereft and Defign; let any produce a Book like to this, in all thefe refpeFts; and which,: o- ver and bcfides, bath by the Power and Reafonablenefs of the Doétrines contain- ed in it, prevail'd fo miracutoufly in the World, by weak and inconfideraple means, in oppofition to all the Wit and Power of the World, and under fuch difcouragements, as no other Religion was ever af?aulted with ; let any Man bring forth fuch a Book, and he bath my leave to believe it as loon as the Bible; P+ur if there be none fuels, as I--am well afiur'd there is nor, then every one that thinks God bath revealed himfelf to men, ought to embrace and entertain the Dolrine of the Holy Scriptures, as revealed by God. And now having prefented men with fuch Arguments and Confiderations ,as arc proper, and I think fuficient to induce belief, I think it not unreafönable to entreat and urge men diligently and impartially to confider thefe matters; and if there be weight in thefe Confiderations to fway reafonable men, that they would not fuller themfelves to be byaffed by prejudice, or paflion, or inrereft, to a contrary perfwafion. Tlttis much I may with Reafon delire of rnen : for tho' men cannot
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