Tranfcend them all-But What can these transcend "Tis moral Grandeur makes the mighty Man : And that it crowns.— -Here cease we: But, ere long, More pow'rful Proof shall take the Field against thee, Stronger than Death, and smiling at the Tomb. NIGHT the SEVENTH. BEING THE SECOND PART OF THE INFIDEL RECLAIMED. CONTAINING The NATURE, PROOF, and IMPORTANCE, of IMMORTALITY. AS PREFACE. we are at War with the Power, it were well if wE were at War with the Manners, of France. A Land of Levity, is a Land of Guilt. A Serious Mind is the native Soil of every Virtue; and the fingle Character that does true Honour to Mankind. The Soul's Immortality bas been the favourite Theme with the Serious of all Ages. Nor is it ftrange; it is a Subject by far the moft interefting, and Important, that can enter the Mind of Man. Of highest Moment this Subject always was, and always will be. Yet this its bigheft Moment feems to admit of Increase, at this Day; a Sort of occafional Importance is fuperadded to the natural Weight of it; if that Opinion which is advanced in the Preface to the preceding Night, be just. It is there fuppofed, that all our Infidels, whatever Scheme, for Argument's gument's Sake, and to keep themfelves in Countenance, they patronize, are betrayed into their deplorable Error, by fome Doubt of their Immortality, at the Bottom. And the more I confider this Point, the more I am perfuaded of the Truth of that Opinion. Tho' the Diftruft of a Futurity is a firange Error; yet it is an Error into which Bad Men may naturally be diftreffed. For it is impoffible to bid Defiance to final Ruin, without fome Refuge in Imagination, fome Prefumption of Efcape. And what Prefumption is there? There are but Two in Nature; but Two, within the Compafs of Human Thought. And these are,―That either GOD will not, or can not punish. Confidering the Divine Attributes, the First is too grofs to be digested by our strongest Wishes. And fince Omnipotence is as much a Divine Attribute as Holiness, that GOD cannot punish, is as abfurd a Suppofition, as the Former. GOD certainly can punish, as long as wicked Men exift. In Non-existence, therefore, is their only Refuge; and, confequently, Non-existence is their strongest Wish. And ftrong Wishes have a ftrange Influence on our Opinions; they bias the Judgment in a Manner, almoft, incredible. And fince on this Member of their Alternative, there are fome very Small Appearances in their Favour, and none at all on the other, they catch at this Reed, they lay hold on this Chimara, to fave themfelves from the Shock, and Horror, of an immediate, and abfolute, Defpair. On reviewing my Subject, by the Light which this Argument, and others of like Tendency, throw upon it, I was more inclin'd than ever to pursue it, as it appear'd to me to firike. directly at the main Root of all our Infidelity. In the following Pages, it is, accordingly, pursued at large; and fome Arguments for Immortality, new (at least to me) are ventured on in them. There also the Writer has made an Attempt to fet the grofs Abfurdities and Horrors of Annihilation in a fuller and more affecting View, than is (I think) to be met with elsewhere. The The Gentlemen, for whofe Sake this Attempt was chiefly made, profefs great Admiration for the Wisdom of Heathen Antiquity: What Pity 'tis, they are not fincere! If they were. fincere, how would it mortify them to confider, with what Contempt, and Abhorrence, their Notions would have been received, by Those whom they fo much admire? What Degree of Contempt, and Abhorrence, would fall to their Share, may be conjectured by the following Matter of Fact (in my Opinion) extremely memorable. Of all their Heathen Worthies, Socrates ('tis well known) was the most Guarded, Difpaffionate, and Compofed: Yet this great Mafter of Temper was angry; and angry at his Laft Hour; and angry with bis Friend; and angry for what defer-ved Acknowledgment; angry, for a right and tender Inftance of true Friendship towards Him. Is not this furprifing? What could be the Caufe? The Caufe was for his Honour; it was a truly noble, tho', perhaps, a too punctilious, Regard for Immortality: For his Friend afking him, with such an affectionate Concern as became a Friend, "Where he should depofit his Remains ?” it was refented by Socrates, as implying a difhonourable Suppofition, that He could be fo mean, as to have Regard for any thing, even in Himself, that not IMMORTAL. was This Fact well confider'd, would make our Infidels with draw their Admiration from Socrates; or make them endeavour, by their Imitation of this Illuftrious Example, to fhare his Glory: And, confequently, It would incline them to perufe the following Pages with Candor and Impartiality. Which is all I defire; and that, for their Sakes: For I am perfuaded, that an Unprejudiced Infidel muft, neceffarily, receive fome advantageous Impreffions from them. July 7, 1744 CON |