God knows who believe that all Religions are Indifferent that the Chief Religion is to be Obedient to the Magistrates that Govern us that God is in truth the Center to which all our Devotion ought to tend but that it is of little Importance which way Men arrive at that Center provided they get thither and that there are several ways to be happy Vno itinere non posse perveniri ad tam grande Secretum according to Symmachus That we ought to be of the Religion of the People among whom we live and not to tye our selves to any one particular manner of serving God but to be initiated into all sorts of Religions Esse totius Mundi Sacrorum Antistitem as a Pagan said They who have given us Relations of the Belief of the Siamois or People of Siam report that they believe That God does not preserve the World but only for the sake of that Divertisement and pleasure which he takes in the Variety of Languages Creatures Habits and Religions that this same Medley produces the same Effect as the Diversity of Flowers in a Garden the difference of Meats at a Banquet or the Distinction of Offices in a Princes Palace for that in like manner God delights himself with inspiring into Mortals several manners of Adoring and Serving him and that we ought to believe 'em all to be good since they have all the same Object and bring Man home to his last End 'T is also said That the King of Siam made Answer to the Person who propos'd to him in the Name of an Ambassador from a Great Prince his turning Christian That he wonder'd the Prince should so much trouble himself in a business relating to God for which it did not appear that God did any way concern himself as having left it wholly to our Discretion For added he the True God who Created Heav'n and Earth and all the Creatures therein contain'd and who has given 'em Natures and Inclinations so different had he so pleas'd at the same time that he gave Men Bodies and Souls alike could have infus'd into 'em the same sentiments of the Religion which they were to profess and have Vnited all Nations under one Law But continued he 't is obvious that Providence permits diversity of Sects and Opinions because that God takes as much delight to be ador'd with different Forms of Worship and Ceremonies as to be glorifi'd by the Prodigious Variety of Creatures whose sundry Beauties publish his Infinite Power Now in regard there are too too many among those who call themselves Christians who with Banners display'd appear in defence of this Opinion concerning the Indifferency of Religion Our design is to Combat 'em in the following Chapters But first of all it behoves us to observe that they who are of this Opinion do not all uphold it after one and the same manner There are some who deny Providence others who will not have it to be concern'd in Matters of Religion There are some who assert the Mortality of our Soul Others aver that to speak properly there is no such thing as True or False Just or Vnjust but that every thing depends upon the Will of Man There are some who believe that Truth lies still in Darkness and that God has not reveal'd it Others that he has reveal'd it but so obscurely that there is no Heresie which may not be prov'd by the Word of God Others maintain that Peace is to be preferr'd before Truth and altogether cry up the great Good which would redound to the World from the Opinion of Indifferency in Religion Were but this Opinion every where receiv'd they say there would be no more Wars about Religion nor any more Contentions about Mysteries of Faith All Men would live together in perfect Unity and this Lower World would be a Little Heaven They extol the first Author of this Opinion as one that never can be too Highly applauded and erect Monuments and Statues to honour his Memory All Men they Cry ought to give God continual Thanks for sending such a Man into the World and at the same time are strangely troubl'd because he was not Immortal Let us now see whether this Opinion merits so many Elogies or rather whether it deserve not publick Execration And to the end that none may have reason to complain let us take all our Indifferents for I beg the favour that I may have leave to call 'em so one after another and let us impartially examine what they hold forth CHAP. IV. Against those who deny a Providence I Shall begin with those who not daring to maintain that there is no God yet presume to deny his Providence and assent with Epicurus that the Supream Deity never concerns himself with what is acted upon Earth That 't is a thing beneath the Grandeur of a Sovereign Being to take cognizance of the Petty Affairs of Mortals here below and so 't is very indifferent to Him of what Religion they are True it is that altho' the Love which it behoves us to have for Truth should always oblige us to tyâ— our selves up to the Belief of that Opinion which is most conformable to our receiv'd Idea's of God nevertheless it must be acknowledg'd that if there were no Providence we might conclude it needless for Man to torment himself about Religion and deem it lawful enough to make choice of that which best agrees with our Interests or with the Society with which we converse But 't is no difficult thing to refute this Opinion which with as good Reason might be call'd The Sponge of all Religions as a Persian Author once said the same thing of the Fatality of the Stoicks Nor shall I make use of any more then two or three Arguments to overthrow it without alledging any passages out of Scripture because I dispute with People that will not acknowledge it to be Divinely inspir'd First it must be acknowledg'd that they who deny a Providence never seriously consider'd what God is The Idea which we naturally have of God instructs us that he is the most perfect of all Beings that exist or may exist as already has been said Now can we believe that a God who should neglect his own Works and should shut himself up in Heaven without taking any care of what he has created can be a perfect Being seeing that among Men themselves those persons have been always look'd upon with the Highest contempt who neglect their own Affairs Fathers for example who never mind their own Children and those slothful Princes who like Sardanapalus abandon the care of their Dominions and leave their Subjects at liberty to do whatever sees good in their own Eyes How can such a sluggish Remissness a Negligence so unbecoming an imperfect Creature be thought to beseem the most perfect of all Beings At least it cannot be deny'd but that if God takes no care of his Creatures there must be a Being more perfect then he But this
ye endured a great sight of Afflictions Partly while ye were made a Gazing-Stock both by reproaches and Afflictions and partly while ye became the Companions of them that were so us'd Cast not away therefore your Confidence which has great Recompence of reward For ye have need of Patience c. Which gives me an occasion to proceed to a Second proof which confirms what we have said and is taken from the Exhortations of Scripture to die for the Truth In a word it would be a great piece of cruelty to impose upon Men a Yoak so heavy without any necessity and to engage 'em to suffer all sorts of Cruelties rather then renounce the Truth if it might be sometimes abandon'd without a Crime The Life of Men who are made after the Image of God and who have been redeem'd by the Blood of his Son is it so meanly to be priz'd that they should be oblig'd to expose it without Compulsive Reasons How comes it then to pass that Christ exhorts us so often to carry his Cross Whence proceeds it that it is the First Lesson that he gives his Disciples If any one will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me Mat. 16.24 And he that taketh not his Cross and follows after me is not worthy of me He that finds his Life shall lose it and he that loses his Life for my sake shall find it Mat. 10. v. 38 39. Whence comes it that the Apostles so often repeat the same Exhortation Wherefore do they command us to bear the Reproach of Christ and to follow the Examples of those that were Ston'd Saw'd or slain by the Sword who have wander'd in Desarts upon Mountains and lurk'd in Dens and Caverns of the Earth Would Wise Men and inspir'd by God speak thus were it an Indifferent Thing what Religion a Man profess'd To this Argument I shall add another which is taken from a Passage in St. Paul where that same Doctor of the Gentiles pronounces Anathema's upon all those that should preach any other Gospel then that which he had preach'd himself though he should be another St. Paul descended from Heaven and one of those Blessed Spirits that continually behold the Face of God But though We or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto ye then that ye have received let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 Certainly Light is not more opposite to Darkness then the words of St. Paul are contrary to the Opinions of those against whom we dispute The Apostle anathematizes those those that preach any other Gospel but that which he has taught Yet they with whom we dispute judge it to be an Indifferent Thing and of no Importance to embrace a Religion which teaches another Doctrine then that which St. Paul has taught This Argument is so much the stronger because the Apostle thunders out his Curse against people who only went about to joyn the Religion of Christ to that of Moses Wherein they were far less Culpable then our Indifferent Men who would not only joyn Moses with Christ but Jesus Christ with the World the Religion of Jesus Christ with other Religions which are no more then Human Inventions and make it their business to serve God and Mammon Nor can I forbear to observe in this Place that this Passage absolutely overturns the Opinion of those who imagine that 't is enough to believe that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah and to admit of those Truths which are common to all Religions but that other Things are not of any great Importance and that there is no necessity of disputing upon that point For they who are rebuk'd by St. Paul acknowledged Jesus for the Messiah they also confess'd the most Eminent Truths of the Gospel but he could not persuade 'em altogether to renounce Moses and to lay aside Circumcision Nevertheless they are Anathematized by St. Paul Judge then what Anathema's that Great Apostle would now thunder out were he to descend from Heaven Besides that it might be easie to prove that should we grant what is far from us to do that it is sufficient to believe that Christ is the Promised Messiah whom the Prophets call the Mighty God the Father of Eternity the Eternal of Justice it would follow from thence that there are Religions which would be thought to be Christians which are False Religions and which we cannot embrace without offending God CHAP. XV. Against those who believe they make Profession of a Religion though they believe it to be false THE Greatest part of our Indifferent Men believe that without committing any Crime they may observe the Ceremonies and practise the Worship of a False Religion that the World may be brought to an Agreement with Jesus Christ and that both the one and the other may be serv'd at the same Time like that same Emperor who had in his Closet the Images of Jesus Christ Abraham Orpheus and Apollonius Or rather like those of whom Adrian speaks in a Letter to Servianus cited by Vopiscus who called themselves Bishops of Jesus Christ and served the God Serapis This Opinion is dangerous thô easie to be refuted and no less easie to shew that Diffimulation in Religion deserves Rebuke and Censure and that it is Condemned by all the Sacred Writers I. If it were Lawful to dissemble and conceal our thoughts concerning Religion how comes it to pass that in the Reign of Ahab and Jezabel God owns none for his Servants but such as had not bowed their Knee to Baal thô there be no question to be made but that several of those who prostrated themselves before that Idol ador'd in their Hearts the True God of Israel II. Wherefore Jesus Christ declares expresly that we cannot be of the Number of his Sheep and follow â—trangers John 10.4 5. And when he putteth forth his own Sheep he goeth before them and the Sheep follow him for they know his Voice But a Stranger will not follow but fly from him for they know not the Voice of Strangers III. Whence it comes to pass that this Divine Saviour teaches us Mat. 6.24 That we cannot serve two Masters IV. Wherefore does he expresly forbid us to deny him before Men. Mat. 10.33 Had it not been sufficient for him to have said Who shall deny me in his Heart Why does he express himself so peremptorily Whoever shall deny me before Men c. Who shall be ashamed of Me of him will I be ashamed This is one of those Passages that Avitus made use of against Gandebaud who made profession of Arrianism thô he acknowledg'd Jesus Christ for a God V. Whence comes it to pass that Jesus Christ if we desire to be his Disciples requires of us that we should renounce and forsake our Worldly Possessions and break the strictest Tyes of Nature that unite us with our Nearest Relations Luke 14.26 If any one comes to me and hate not his Father and Mother Wife and Children Brethren and
Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple And v. 33. So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all he hath he cannot be my Disciple VI. Wherefore St. Paul calls those Idolaters who committed any one of those Acts which the Pagans practis'd 1. Corinth 10. VII If it be sufficient for a Man to believe in his Heart without making open Profession of the Truth how comes it that the same Apostle Commands us to believe in our Hearts and make Confession with our Mouths unto Salvation Rom. 10.9 10. And that St. Peter would have us Be ready always to give an Answer to every Man that asks ye a Reason of the Hope that is in you 1. Pet. 3.15 VIII If it be true that Man may be faithful and practise a False worship and observe the Ceremonies of a Corrupt Religion then might He Drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devills contrary to the saying of St. Paul 1. Cor. 10. and have Communion with God yet walk in Darkness contrary to the Precepts of St. John 1 Epist C. 1. v. 6. And a Man may have received the Good Seed of God into his Heart and withdraw himself in time of Persecution contrary to the Doctrine of Christ Mat. 13. IX A Man might be an Idolater and yet be Saved contrary to what the Apostle determins 1 Cor. 6. that Idolaters shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven X. He may be register'd in the Book of Life of the Lamb and adore the Beast contrary to what is written by St. John Apoc. 13.8 And all that shall Worship the Beast whose Names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb. XI If the Opinion of those against whom we Combat were true would St. John threaten Eternal Torments to the Adorers of the Beast Apoc. 14. v. 9 10 11. If any Man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his Forehead or in his hand the same shall drink the Wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation and be shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the Presence of the Holy Angels and in the Presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever c. XII The same beloved Disciple would have placed the Fearful at the head of those for whom the Lake of Fire and Brimstone is reserved Apoc. 21.8 Would Jesus Christ threaten to spue the Lukewarm out of his Mouth Apoc. 3.16 For who are the Fearful and Lukewarm but they who understand the Truth yet fearing the Hatred and Cruelty of the World compose their outward Behaviour in such a manner that they make a shew of approving a Religion of which they acknowledge the Falshood Such as have an Orthodox Soul and Lips of Infidels who will neither be altogether for Jesus Christ not altogether for the World who divide themselves between the One and the Other and would fain be reconcil'd to Both In a word who do that which our Indifferent Men believe may be done without a Crime XIII Whence comes it to pass that the Holy Ghost condemns those that halt on both sides 1 Kings 18.21 Zephan 1.5 and those that worship and swear by the Lord yet swear by Maloham also XIV Wherefore is it that the Two Apostles St. Paul and St. John of which the one had been taken up into Heaven the Other had seen in the Spirit the Heavenly Jerusalem Commands us to come out from among the Unfaithful and from Babylon Apoc. 18.4 Long out of her my People says the Lord by St. John that ye be not partakers of her sins and that we receive not of her Plagues and 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. Be ye not unequally yoak'd with Vnbelievers for what fellowship hath Righteousness with Vnrighteousness and what Communion hath Light with Darkness What Concord hath Christ with Behal or what part hath he that believes with an Infidel What Agreement has the Temple of God with Idols For ye are the Temple of the Living God c. Wherefore come out from among 'em and be ye separate says the Lord and touch not the Vnclean thing and I will receive ye XV. Lastly Wherefore is it that we are commanded to suffer for Righteousness sake and that the Spirit of God makes such large Promises to those that suffer Persecution Matth. 5.10 Heb. 12. James 5.10.11 Phil. 1.29 2 Tim. 2.11 12. I add to all these Proofs those Passages of Scripture where the Apostles command us to offer to God not only our Souls but our Bodies also and to Glorifie him in our Bodies and our Spirit Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren that ye present your Bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service and 1 Cor. 6.20 For ye are bought with price therefore Glorifis God in your Body and in your Spirit which are Gods Is it not a great piece of Sacriledge to refuse the giving of that to God which belongs to him He created both our Bodies and Souls he has redeem'd 'em both the one in the other Is it not then just that we should consecrate both to him Wherefore should we separate what God has joyn'd and what he has given us to the end we should employ it to his Glory How great a sin it is how great a piece of Impiety to divide our selves between God to whom we owe all things and the World to which we owe nothing To deny our Tongues to God to whom we owe our Lives and to be asham'd of calling our selves the Servants and Disciples of Christ who was not asham'd to call us his Brethren and who for our sakes has suffer'd a most cruel and ignominious death To demonstrate yet more clearly the Falshood of this Opinion which I labour to destroy I think it convenient to make these few Reflexions The First is That it is a strange thing that there should be so many People that make no scruple of Lying in Religion which is a thing of the greatest Importance and the most Sacred in the World in regard that Lying is a Vice unworthy a Man of Honour The greatest Debauchees become sensible of the things of Conscience if they happen to swear a Falshood before a Judge So true it is that we have a natural Aversion against telling a Lye Who would not wonder then that Men who are desirous of Reputation should not be asham'd to lye in a thing that is most grave and serious in the World the Concern of God himself of Truth and our own Salvation If a Subject who gives but the least suspition of an Intention to Revolt from his Prince and who only lets fall some words that will admit of a bad Construction is handl'd with so much severity in regard that Royal Majesty is so Sacred that it is not to be injur'd in any manner whatever without incurring the guilt of
a hainous Crime What greater Transgression can a Man commit then to make a shew of being an Enemy to God and his Truth What Torments ought not they to expect who are guilty of such Impiety The Second Reflexion is this That they who dissemble in Religion commit a very great crime against their Brethren for they incite 'em by their own example to Apostacy and make 'em believe that the Religion which they profess is the true Religion So that if they who poison the Body are lookt upon as the wicked'st People in the World How much more criminal are they who poison the Soul who present their Brethren the Mortal Draught and make a shew of Drinking it to the end that others may not be afraid of swallowing it And what Torments ought not they to fear from Him who threatens to punish most severely Lyers and such as give scandal to his little Children This Remark is so much the more necessary because there are several Persons who believe that a Man may abide in a false Religion with a design to make known the Truth to those who know it not wherein they grosly abuse themselves For besides that I would willingly ask 'em whether they can speak it with a safe Conscience that they only stick to the false Religion which they profess on purpose to shew the falshood of it and whether it be not meerly because they find it more advantageous for their Business and for the enjoyment of the Conveniencies of Life I would put this farther question to 'em were the First of these the real Motive that detains 'em Who is he that has enjoyn'd 'em to extend their Charity so far as to expose themselves willingly to Damnation out of hopes to convert others For where is it that God has promis'd to Save those who shall turn Idolaters to Save their Brethren Does not St. Paul expresly say That we ought not to do evil that good may come of it But so far are they from Converting others by adhering to a false Religion that quite the contrary they confirm 'em in their own Opinion and corrupt many by their bad Example They may make good Hypocrites like themselves but very rarely good Christians The Third Reflexion which I add to the two preceding is this That if Dissimulation in Religion be permitted and that it be lawful to embrace that which best agrees with our carnal Interests we must confess that the Martyrs who have laid down their Lives with so much Courage and suffered such cruel Torments were all Fools and Madmen while they rather chose to lose their Lives when there was no necessity for it and perish in the midst of consuming Flames then to condescend to the least complyance thô but in outward shew and buckle to their Persecutors But God forbid we should deprive those Christian Hero's of their merited Honour and look upon as extravagant the wisest of all Mortals Have we not more reason to call our Lukewarm and our fearful Christians Fools who rather chuse to preserve their Wealth and Worldly Advantages then one day to enjoy those Eternal Felicities which God prepares for those that will be faithful to him who are more afraid of the present then the future of that which can Kill the Body then of that which precipitates the Soul into Hell who are more afraid of Death then of the cruel Torments of Hell who prefer the World before God and Time before Eternity To these Three Reflexions I shall add a Fourth which seems to me to be of great Importance that the Inside can never be good when the Outside is evil And that it is not possible for a Man to deny God with his Lips but he must renounce him in his Heart when he has had time to reflect upon what he has done I say when he has had time to consider with himself that I may not oppose the Example of St. Peter whose Fears so far disturb'd his Mind that quite transported beyond himself and only studying which way to avoid the danger that threatned him he neither remembred Jesus Christ nor the Promise which he had made him 'T will be no difficult thing to understand this 4th Reflexion if we consider that 't is in the Heart that Men take that unhappy and cursed Resolution to renounce Jesus Christ with their Lips and that 't is in their Hearts that they meditate an Accommodation with the present Time 'T is therefore to no purpose for 'em to say that they reserve their Hearts for God and that they surrender 'em entirely to him thô they forsake his Truth that they do not renounce him with their Hearts althô they deny him with their Lips To talk in this manner is to deceive themselves and they who discourse after this manner are like a Woman that should say she had bequeath'd her Heart to her Husband and only made her Body common to her Lovers Or to a Man that should rend the Reputation of his Neighbor or Murder him yet pretend that in his Heart he abhorr'd Murder Backbiting and Calumny and that he tenderly lov'd the Person whom he had bereft of Life They who dissemble cannot deny but that the motions of Self-Love prevail over the Impulses of the Love of God because they will neither sacrifice their Wealth nor their Ease to his Glory So that if they were always to be judg'd by the Sentiments of their Hearts they would always deserve no less then Condemnation and Death CHAP. XVI An Answer to some Objections 'T IS but reasonable now to Answer some Objections which they make us The First is drawn from that which Jesus Christ says John 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth Therefore say they God is satisfy'd with the Heart and with the inside Worship not requiring exterior Adoration But if this be the Consequence which is to be drawn from the words of the Saviour of the World Why does he exhort us to own him before Men to bear his Cross and to suffer for him Certainly if he required no more then the Heart wherefore does he exact from us an outward Profession which exposes us to a Thousand Disgraces and a Thousand Sufferings Is our Life of so little value that he would have us to be so prodigal of it when there is no occasion But what Man of Judgement is there who does not perceive that his meaning is only to shew us what sort of Worship is most pleasing to God and that it his pleasure that under the Gospel we should pay him a Spiritual Worship abstracted from Matter and all those Observances which were only proper for the Infancy of the Church independant from Circumstances of Time Persons and Places Whether it be that God filling all the World with the Immensity of his Being is no longer to be Ador'd at Jerusalem or Guerezin only or whether it be that being a Spirit he is not rightly Honour'd by
of what Religion he pleases Had St. Peter had any such thought would he have taken so much pains to Convert People to Christianity Or have exposed himself to the ill will of his whole Nation Saint Paul holds the same Argument as Saint Peter Rom. 10. v. 12 13. but he had said before that with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation CHAP. XVII An Answer to the Examples brought from Nicodemus Naaman and St. Paul WE have seen the Passages of which our Indifferent Men make use now let us examine the Examples which they bring 1. They propose to us the Examples of Zachary Elizabeth Simeon St. John Baptist the Blessed Virgin and Christ himself who often intermix'd themselves with the Congregations of the Jews thô they were very Corrupt and observed the Ceremonies of the Law But it is apparent that these Examples prove nothing of what they pretend to I confess that Zachary that Elizabeth c. intermix'd themselves with the Assemblies of the Jews because it was the will of God that they should pay him their Homage due in his Temple and that there was no command as yet to separate from the Communion of the Jews They observ'd the Ceremonies of the Law because those Ceremonies were not then abolished Jesus Christ was not yet ascended into Heaven Then wherefore should they not intermix themselves in the Assemblies of the Jews The Law of Moses was there read every Sabbath-Day they read the Prophets they offer'd the Sacrifices which God had ordain'd there was no Idolatry in the Worship they ador'd no other God there but the God of Israel The Scribâ—s and Pharisees constrain'd no Body to believe their Expositions of the Law They could distinguish the wholsom true Doctrine from the Traditions of False Teachers and beware of their Leav'n as Christ exhorted his Disciples Let 'em now examine what reason they have to bring these Examples 2. They propose to us the Example of Nicodemus who thô he were throughly convinc'd of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ durst not give him a visit in Publick for fear of being expell'd the Synagogue and the same thing is reported of Joseph of Arimathea Now upon this Example I observe three things The First is that thô Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea did not openly take the Part of Jesus Christ yet they never intermixed in any Society which God had forbid ' em The Second thing is that Nicodemus Joseph and others who did as they did are extreamly blam'd in Scripture John 12.42 Nevertheless among the Chief Rulers also many believ'd in him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue for they loved the Praise of Men more then the Praise of God The Third thing is that Nicodemus opposed the Resolution which the Pharisees took against Jesus Christ that Joseph would never give his consent and that both the one and the other no longer dissembling their Thoughts at a Time when the Apostles themselves forsook Christ and that the one deny'd him the other had betray'd him openly demanded his Body and caused it to be honourably buried having the Courage to confess him Dead whom they durst not confess when he was alive After these three Remarks let us compare our Indifferent Men with those Illustrious Jews Nicodemus never intermix'd with any forbidden Assembly Our Indifferent Men believe they may do it and yet commit no Crime Nicodemus and Joseph bestow'd a Publick Funeral upon our Lord Jesus and opposed the Counsels which the Pharisees took together in Combination against him But our Indifferent Men are asham'd to speak for the Truth or to uphold the Cause of Jesus Christ So that if Nicodemus and Joseph are blam'd by St. John at a time when they durst not openly confess Jesus Christ judge how much more Criminal our false Nicodemites are whose knowledge is much greater then that of the Jews They Object in the Third Place the Example of Naaman the Syrian who understanding the True God forbore not however from entring into the Temple of Rimmon when his Master went thither to pay his Devotions and they pretend that Elisha the Prophet gave him leave to comply with the King's Worship in Prostrating himself as he did In Answer to this Example I make these Reflexions following 1. That Naaman never demanded of the Prophet that he might be permitted to dissemble his Religion before the King of Syria On the other side he vow'd and promised that he would Sacrifice to no other Deity but the Eternal God 2. Kings 5.17 Shall there not then I pray thee be given to thy Servant two Mules Burthen of Earth For thy Servant will henceforth offer neither burnâ—â— Offering nor Sacrifice unto any other Gods but unto the Lord. The Second Reflexion is that Naaman made but only one Request not to enter into the Temple of Rimmon when he pleased for that had been a piece of Impiety but only that it might not be imputed to him for a Crime if he bow'd in the House of Rimmon when his Master went to Worship there and lean'd on his hand These two Reflexions already shew the Difference between the Conduct of our Indifferent Men and that of Naaman Naaman openly declared that he served the God of Israel and that he would serve none but him And there is no doubt but that he protested the same thing to his Master when he related to him the Miracle of his Cure But our Indifferent Men believe that for their better Security they may profess the same Religion with Idolaters and by consequence may have another Object of their Worship then God when they are among People who believe that another sort of Religions worship may be paid to any other Deity Naaman only desired that he might be permitted to serve his Master as he was bound in duty to do but our Indifferent Men require that they may be permitted to dissemble without any other reason then for their own Convenience and Profit Naaman is extreamly troubled in Conscience about paying this Civil Service to his Master and begs Pardon of God as being afraid of committing a Sin His Conscience had such an Abhorrency of Idolatry that he could not brook any thing which had the least Affinity with it But our Indifferent Men make no scruple to give themselves that Liberty which he denied himself and believe they may do that without offending God which Naaman never did thô Naaman was bred up in Idolatry and had no other Instruction then what he received from his Cure whereas our Antagonists clearly know the will of God which will not permit us to doubt but that Naaman will rise up in Judgment against 'em and that they will undergo severe Punishment But in regard our Indifferent Men insist very much upon Naaman's desiring that God would pardon him if he prostrated himself in the Temple of Rimmon when the King his Master lean'd upon his Hand and upon Elisha's answering
that to judge by outward appearances when we see a Man dye it seems as if he dy'd like a Beast and that there was no difference between ' em And this was the Judgment which the Prophane Libertines in Salomon's time made of it But what we have said is certainly the precise sence of the words For if from the saying of Ecclesiastes Who knows whether the breath of a Beast ascends upward and the breath of a Beast descends downward We must conclude that if Salomon was ignorant of that which was to happen he would have spoken against his own knowledge seeing that in the 12th Chapter he says expresly That the Spirit returns to God We must also believe that he questions whether or no the Breath of Beasts descended downward since he makes use of the same Expression who knows whether the Breath of a Beast c. Now is this a thing that so wise a Man as Salomon could doubt of or could he be inclin'd to observe an Error which few believe that the Spirit of Beasts is immortal Thô we must confess there are some people that are of this Opinion if we may believe the Portuguese Relation of the Eastern Aethiopia It will be said perhaps that the Soul being strictly united with the Body it cannot be conceiv'd how the Body should dye and the Soul be Immortal But this Argument is absurd for were the Soul and Body of the same Nature there were some room for this Objection But in regard they are of a different Nature and that the motions of the Soul are absolutely independent from those of the Body As for example when she meditates upon God Why may we not say that it subsists without a Body like the Angels And so much for this subject Let us now examine whether we ought to believe a day of Judgment Of the Judgment to come IT is impossible to reflect upon the Nature of God without being convinc'd of a Day of Judgment The Idea which we have of God obliges him to look upon him as a Being Supreamly Wise most Just most Holy and most Perfect But we can never consider him as a Being most Wise Just and Perfect unless we understand at the same time that he is one day to call Men to Judgment and to reward or punish 'em according as they have lived upon the Earth In short How can it be conceiv'd that a God who made all things who loves Order and Holiness to the highest Degree and who always acts conformably to his Virtues can let go unpunish'd the Contempts which his Creatures put upon his Laws and that he can look with the same Glances of his favour upon those that employ themselves in his Praises and they that Vomit forth Blasphemies against him those that confess his Holy Name and those that abjure it upon Virtuous Men and the most Infamous Debauchees upon St. Peter and a Herod upon St. Paul and a Nero a St. John and a Domitian and yet this is that which we must say of God were it true that there would be no Day of Judgment For that Person must be very Ignorant of the Affairs and Transactions of this World who understands not that Punishment does not always attend the Transgression and that the Wicked are not always Chastiz'd but that the Innocent are sometimes oppress'd and the Guilty justify'd Now can we believe that the Sanctity and Wisdom of God would suffer Virtue to remain without Reward or Vice without Punishment had he not decreed a Day wherein to render unto every Man according to his Works No doubtless God has not suffer'd the Wicked all to go Unpunish'd that Men might not believe there was no Providence nor does he punish all that Men might thence infer there will be a time of Judgment The Invisible Hand of God collects together whatever Man does whatever he thinks and whatever he says all is hoarded up in the Treasure of his Justice But after God has gather'd all his Magazine he will return all back again and cause to Re-descend on Men whatever Men sent up to Heaven To this first Argument in my Opinion another may be added which is taken from the Remorse the Troubles and the Agitations of Conscience when a Man has committed any Crimes tho' secret Transgressions and such are not to be discover'd For from whence proceed those Terrors I beseech ye if it be not from an Apprehension of a Judgment which there is no possibility of avoiding It may be objected perhaps that there are none but the weaker sort that labour under these Disquiets these Turmoils and stings of Conscience little Children poor Ideots and silly Women But where is that Man who having sworn a false Oath committed a Murder or any other Crying Act of Injustice is not sensible of the sharpe Rebukes and Upbraidings of his Conscience 'T is not what Women only or Children do this is a question reaches all that have offended against Heaven It may be also farther said that 't is the Apprehension of the Rigour of Human Laws which causes all those Terrors not the Dread of any Caelestial Tribunal But whence then comes it to pass that those Monarchs who set themselves above the Reach of all Terrestial Justice and boasted of their Abominations were not exempted from these Affrights and Convulsions of self-Conviction such as Nero Tiberius Caligula Caracalla who were flattered every day that they might do what they pleas'd and who never heard a word of the Law of God of the Severity of his Justice or of a Judgment to come Others will alledge that these Commotions are the Effect of our Education But how comes it that we neglect and contemn so many other things infus'd into us by our Education but never can deface these deep Impressions Whence proceeds it that all Mankind with their conjoyn'd Efforts could never calm these Tempestuous Agitations nor dissipate these Fears Whence comes it to pass that upon th' approach of Death the Greatest Libertines and most Prophane tremble at the remembrance of their Impiety and their Horrors still augment the nearer they draw toward their end For if nothing were to follow but Annihilation whence so much Agony Lastly it will be said that there are many People who feel none of these Inward Stings But besides that it would be a difficult thing to name any of those Persons whose Consciences are altogether dead and Insensible and that others might be thought to be void of all Fear because they knew how to conceal it their Inconsiderable Number can by no means weak'n our Argument as it does not follow that the Existence of God is not a Truth beyond Controul because there are some perhaps that do not believe it The Universal Consent in reference to this Point of all Nations that have acknowledg'd a Deity is a sufficiently convincing Proof of the Truth of what we positively assert For how comes it that so many Men agree in this particular altho' they differ
Extravagance to make choice of an Opinion whereby a Man runs the risk of being Eternally Miserable and hopes for nothing but Annihilation And whether thô there were no certain proofs of a Judgment to come it were not better for 'em always to demean themselves as if they were to be judg'd I say no more for this is sufficient to shew that since our Indifferent Men are not assur'd that thare is no Judgment they ought not to build upon this Opinion the Indifferency of Religions CHAP. IX Wherein is examin'd whether there be any thing True or False Just or Vnjust AMong those whom I call Indifferent Men there are some who believe that there is nothing True or False Just or Unjust so that it is lawful to do whatever a Man pleases and to embrace that Religion that agrees most with their Interests Who could ever believe that in our Age there should be People that should go about to introduce such Scepticism into Religion There is nothing True say they Yet at least according to their Sentiments it must be true that there is nothing True Moreover is it not True that they who maintain this Argument have a Being that they are Thinking Souls and extended Bodies That it is impossible a Thing should be and not be at the same time that Two and Two make Four and that the Whole is bigger then the Part Certainly there is no body so extravagant as to deny it We do not dispure of this matter will the Indifferent Men say but of things that concern Religion I grant it 'T is already very much that they will confess that there is something True but still it is not true that there is a God that this God is most Perfect most Just Omnipotent c. At least it is no more True then to say there is no God or that this God is an imperfect Being and Unjust I do not believe that these Skepticks dare deny it unless they will speak against their own Consciences For then there is nothing so easie as to deny every thing and to maintain at Noon-day that the Sun is not risen or that a Circle is a Square I am well assur'd that if our Pyrrhonians would speak sincerely they would acknowledge that it is also true that God ought to be serv'd and that in such a manner as is agreeable to his Nature They are therefore most grosly mistaken who assert that there is nothing of Truth In short every Proposition ought to be True or False It is True when it affirms or denies nothing of a subject but what we ought to affirm or deny It is False when it affirms or denies what ought not to be affirm'd or deny'd But is it not certain will our Skepticks say that upon every Subject we may find out Reasons pro and con equally strong and convincing I grant there are several Subjects upon which Men may argue variously insomuch that they shall be at a great loss which side to take before they have carefully weigh'd and consider'd the Arguments on both sides I confess also that there are some very evident Truths that have been disputed among Philosophers among others some have deny'd Motion Wit loves to sport sometimes and endeavours to obscure by Sophisms Things the most plain and perspicuous but I deny that what is said on both sides is equally solid and that it is fit to compare Sophisms with good Arguments There are some propoâ—â—tions to which we cannot refuse our assent and some that we cannot deny without acting against the Light of our Understanding There are some that are not so apparent and others that openly oppose Reason All that our Skepticks say does but teach us that we ought to stand upon our Guards and not to hasten our Judgment with too much precepitancy but to suspend it till Conviction and our Understanding force us from that Hesitation So that I extremely approve the Rules set down by a Philosopher of our Age who would have us when we propose any thing not only carefully to examin the Thing and to determin nothing till after we have well thought upon it but also to see 1. Whether it be not true that we believe the thing in dispute for no other Reason but because our Masters have so taught us 2. Whether it be not True that we believe the thing upon no other account but only because it was approved by a great number of Persons that have gain'd a Repute in the World 3. Whether it be not True that we believe the thing by reason of long Use and Custom that is to say Because we have such an Idea in our heads from our Education and our Infancy and for that we judge that several things were True because they were conformable to that Idea 4. Whether it be not True that we conclude the Truth in Dispute from a supposed Principle and such a one which we never examin'd 5. Whether it be not True that we believe the Thing only because it is a Novelty These are the Precautions which we ought to take but 't is an extravagancy to maintain that there is nothing True We haturally all of us love Truth and we desire to find it out Is it then to be thought that this Desire should be Engrafted in all Men if there were nothing True or False What I assert of Truth I also speak of Justice or Injustice that is to say that there is something of Just or Unjust and that there is a necessary distinction between Good and Evil between that which is Honest and that which is not so In short were there no reason for this distinction it must be said that Paracides and Blasphemers to speak Properly Commit no Crime that 't is the same thing whether we Hate or Love God whether we Honour our Parents or Cut their Throats Now I beseech ye Can such Sentiments enter our Thoughts without Horror They will say perhaps that this Horror proceeds from the Prejudices of Education But if it be so How comes it to pass that the same Horror is Universal among all People thô their Education be very different They will likewise object that Legislators and Governors of States and Kingdoms have taken great Care to infuse into the People that there is somthing of Just and Unjust But is it probable that those Legislators could have agreed so exactly without consulting together to impose the same things upon so many different People That they were so sufficiently powerful as to engrave their Precepts in the bottom of the Peoples Hearts or so politick and cunning as to inspire into 'em that niceness as to make it a scruple of Conscience to disobey ' em Or how is it to be imagin'd that so vast a number of People would entertain and uphold Laws that recompence Virtue and punish Vice but which are otherwise so very severe and irksom unless there were a Natural Light which makes all Men agree in the point of their Justice
Had not Man a Natural Idea and a Natural Love of Duty Men might be made believe in that particular whatever Imposture pleas'd and they might be persuaded that Ingratitude Persidiousness and Blasphemy are Virtues which ought to be esteemed Nevertheless nothing is more Impossible It will be said that several Nations have submitted to Bad Laws as well as good But certain it is that never any Legislators could impose those Laws which were altogether bad The Lawgivers concern'd still intermix'd 'em among the good ones and endeavour to support 'em with good Principles already in vogue among the People They have also made use of Force to establish or preserve 'em so that submission to unjust Constitutions is a proof of the Necessity of those which are just But let us press a little closer upon our Pyrrhenians Either they are bound to obey their Reason or they are not If they are not oblig'd their Reason stands 'em in no stead and it is in Vain that Nature has made 'em Rational Creatures If they are bound they do ill when they withdraw their Obedience from it Therefore there is a difference between Good and Evil. It will be objected no doubt that Reason dictates to one Man that the Thing is Good to another that it is Bad so that it depends purely upon humour But certain it is that there are some things good and others bad by the Consent of all Mankind So that in that respect our Reason is beyond all Controul Moreover the Force of that Objection reaches no farther then to prove that all Men have not the same parts and that they do not all distinguish Good and Evil as they ought to do But they are not able to prove from thence that there is nothing Just or Unjust On the other side 't is a certain proof that Men have naturally an Idea that there is some thing Just and some thing which is not so Let us then put this Question to our Skeptics whether the Creature owes Nothing or Something to his Creator No Man durst hitherto maintain that the Creature owes him Nothing If any thing he is oblig'd to performances and if he do not pay what he owes he does ill There are some things which are good in themselves and others which are not so and therefore 't is to build a Sandy Foundation to pretend to prove that Religions are Indifferent because there is nothing by Nature Good or Evil. I shall add but one word more in Opposition to those who assert that to speak properly there is nothing Just but what agrees with our Interest or with the Public Benefit This Opinion is very absurd 1. Because that Right Reason obliges us frequently to act against our own Interests and Commands us to do those things that prove mischievous and hurtful to us as it prohibits us from other things that might redound to our Benefit yet after we have followed the Dictates of Right Reason receive a great deal of Comfort and Satisfaction for so doing 2. Because that if Profit and Advantage were to be the Chief Rule of our Actions our first Beginning and last End there would be no Truth nor Sincerity between Man and Man it would be in vain that Nature has made us Sociable Creatures and it would behove us rather to say that Men were Created to be Robbers and Poisoners when their Interest requir'd it which is the most Horrid thing in the World 3. Because that if Profit were to be the Rule of all our Actions and if the Idea of Honesty were a meer Illusion all Men in the World would never distinguish as they do between Profitable and Honest and Men the most Corrupt would never be sensible from time to time of the Force of that Idea For this is a convincing Proof that this Idea is one of the First Establishments of Nature CHAP. X. Against those who believe that the Truth is Conceal'd IN the Croud of our Indifferent-Men there are some who dare not positively maintain that there is nothing true but they believe that Truth is plung'd in Democritus's Well and that it is entirely Conceal'd from Men and that therefore 't is no great matter what Religion we Embrace because we know not where Truth resides But what we have already said in the foregoing Chapter shews the Absurdity of this Opinion For we have sufficiently prov'd that all these Truths are not conceal'd from Men but that there are a great Number who are clearly Convinc'd that there is a God that he is most Wise Almighty most Perfect that we ought to serve him and that we ought to do as we would be done by In short it would be a strange thing if there were no Truths that God had given us understanding capable to reach and apprehend 'em and yet that he should not have reveal'd 'em to us or that he should not have fix'd a kind of Relation between those Truths and our Understandings to know when they meet and when they do not meet together In like manner it would be a surprizing thing that God should have Created Light and given Men Eyes to see it yet never produce it into the World The Idea which we have of God is that he is a Being both good and gracious by doing good Now what Idea can we have of a God that has made Creatures and yet would conceal himself from 'em who has endu'd 'em with Reason to understand Truth yet had not reveal'd to 'em those Truths which it most concern'd 'em to know If it be objected that there are an infinite number of Truths which Man can never dive into by the Light of Nature we must be forc'd to grant it because we cannot deny it 'T is not to speak of the Mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation c. which the Christian Religion has taught us and into which the wit of Man can never penetrate there are several other Truths less difficult to apprehend which Men however had been altogether ignorant of had it not been for Revelation For Example Men might naturally know by the Light of Reason only that there is a God and that this God ought to be ador'd but he knows not after what manner this Sovereign Being will be ador'd He knows that he is a Sinner but he knows not by the Light of Nature which way to make his Peace with God He may know that his Soul is Immortal but he knows not what will become of his Soul nor had the Pagans in this Particular any other then confus'd Idea which may be well judg'd by what the Emperor Adrian said And it appears by the Discourses of Socrates that Wise Philosopher before his Death that he was no better inform'd upon this Subject then the Emperor It is certain then that Revelation is necessary but we assert also that this Revelation has been made and that God has manifested to Men whatever is requisite for 'em to know to the end they may be happy
as to scare Men from reading it nor so easie to be understood as to incur Contempt The more Familiar it is the less it disrelishes the more Men Meditate upon it the Higher Value they put upon it It assists our Souls by the Simplicity of Words and the Sublimity of the Sence which is therein contain'd and seems to grow and exalt it self by degrees as they that read it raise themselves and grow in Understanding So that the most Ignorant and they that have the meanest parts understand something in it and the Learned always meet with Novelty To which we may add what St. Austin says That it proposes to us whatever is most necessary for the Conduct of our Lives that it explains and illustrates it self by expounding clearly to us in some parts what it delivers but obscurely in others This pious Bishop every where insinuates that the Scriptures manner of teaching is proportionable to all sorts of Conditions and to the Understanding of Readers the most simple and of meanest Capacities that it invites all Men by a plain and simple Discourse to seek therein wherewith to nourish themselves with apparent Truths and wherewith to exercise themselves in the discovery of those that are conceal'd that if it puts to shame the Vanity of the Haughty by reason of the sublimity of it to which they cannot reach if the Depth of it affrights and terrifies those that strive to penetrate into it it nourishes by Vertue of those Truths wherewith it is replenish'd the most exalted Souls and affords Children that Food which is proper for 'em through the Familiarity wherewith it speaks To be convinc'd of the Clearness of the Scriptures there needs no more then to reflect upon what is taught us therein Does it not clearly teach us to know an Eternal God sovereignly Good most Wise most Potent and most Just who has expanded the Heavens and laid the Foundations of the Earth by his Almighty Power who sustains all things by his Word who has created Men and Angels who preserves 'em and and is to judge ' em Does it not clearly shew us the profound Misery of Man his Corruption his Sin his inability to free himself from the sad Condition he is in Does it not clearly shew us what Christ has done for us to deliver us out of this Inconvenience how he came into the World to put on our Nature how he dy'd for our Sins how he rose for our Justification how he ascended Gloriously into Heaven to prepare a Place for us and how he is to return to open our Tombs and to raise us to his Eternal Sanctuary Does it not clearly tell us what Blessings this Divine Saviour has merited for us Pardon for our Sins our Peace with God the Gift of his Spirit Salvation Eternal Redemption and Infinite Glory Lastly Does it not clearly shew us what God requires from us Faith Repentance Hope Charity Patience and all those Virtues which we ought to put in Practice and all those Vices from which we ought to abstain Lot Men judge after all this whether they have any reason to accuse the Holy Scriptures of Obscurity Certainly if there be any obscure Places it ought to be acknowledg'd that whatever is necessary for our Knowledge is clearly explain'd So that 't is the same thing with the Holy Scripture as with the Book of Nature both contain things which all the World may know others require Application and Study others cannot be comprehended But is it not true say our Indifferent Men that all Heresies may be prov'd by Scripture I confess that the Hereticks boast their drawing their Opinions from Divine Sources the more cunningly to deceive those that they have a mind to seduce Such were Arrius Nestorius Eutyches Macedonius Socinus and an Infinite Number of others But tho' these Hereticks vaunted their having asserted nothing but what they extracted from Divine Writings 't is false that their Proofs are solid and that they have any reason to infer from thence that the Scripture is so obscure that all sorts of Opinions may be drawn from thence This only ought to engage us to take all the Care imaginable to understand it aright not to pursue our own Prejudices not to expound the Scripture according to our own Passions Not to read it on purpose to pick out Opinions which we have already invented but such as we ought to have to examine well the Meaning of the Holy Spirit and the end which he proposes to himself to compare Scripture with Scripture and not to study it with a design to set up new Opinions to signalize our selves in the World and gain Disciples but only with a prospect of advancing in the Knowledge of the Mysteries of our Salvation and in the Study of Piety CHAP. XIII Against those who believe that although the Truth be clearly explain'd in Scripture yet that it ought to be indifferent to us what Religion we embrace WE have hitherto disputed against those that will not acknowledge the Divinity of Scripture or who would make it useless to us Now our main Business is to contend with Those who agree that the Truth is sufficiently explain'd in Scripture but still they believe that we have no occasion to torment our selves about the Choice of a Religion or at least they live as if they believ'd so This sort of Indifferent Men is very numerous so that 't is but just that we should apply our selves a little to refute ' em I draw my first Argument against 'em from hence that we ought always to prefer Truth before a Lye and that we ought always to embrace that Truth when we have once attain'd to the Knowledge of it For if it be so then it follows of necessity that all Religions ought not to be Indifferent It will be no difficult Thing to apprehend the Force of this Inference if it be but consider'd that all Religions being contrary the one to the other and still accusing each other of Falshood it must be necessarily concluded that Truth is one of these Religions and Falshood in the Rest If then we ought to prefer Truth before Falshood we ought to abide in that Religion where Truth shall be found and avoid all the rest as so many Sects This Proposition that Truth is always to be preferr'd before Falshood and that we ought to embrace the Truth when we have once attain'd to the Knowledge of it seems to have no need of Proofs For where is that Man who will presume to aver that Truth is to be preferr'd before Falshood Had God reveal'd to us which Sect of Philosophers is the True one there is no Person but would willingly submit 'T is for the finding out these Philosophical Truths that the Learned read with so much Application what the Ancient Philosophers have written and what the Moderns have discovered and 't is with that design that they make so many Experiments at this Day Now then if it be true in
or would he have dy'd by the hand of the Common Executioner No without doubt There was nothing more easie for him then to have avoided those bitter and continual Persecutions He need have done no more then to have extolled Moses to the Jews Jupiter Mercury and the rest of their Counterfeit Deities to the Pagans and thus he would have pleased all But then he would not have taught Jesus Christ He preaches him up every where thô they threaten him with a thousand Torments in the Areopagus at Rome among the Jews and Gentiles never dissembling his Sentiments So far from being ashamed of the Gospel of his Divine Saviour that he Preached him both boldly and publickly and made it his chiefest Glory so to do CHAP. XVIII An Answer to some Reasons which are brought by our Antagonists OUR Indifferent Men make some Objections also In the first place they put the Question whether God cannot save People of all sorts of Religions especially such as confess Jesus Christ and acknowledge him to be the Son of God the Promised Messiah Crucify'd Dead and Risen from the Grave This Question is Ridiculous for the Business in Dispute is not what God can do nor shall we undertake to set Bounds to his Infinite Mercy But we cannot believe that he will save those that depart from a Pure Communion who abjure his Truth who make publick Profession of doing Things which they do not believe and who Die unrepentant in that sad Condition God has so clearly Explained himself in this matter that he must willingly seek his own Destruction that flatters himself to obtain Mercy and follows the Footsteps of our Indifferent Men. But say they in the Second Place is it not a hard Case to be despoil'd of our Estates to be deprived of our Honours and Conveniencies of Life to be Banish'd to renounce our Pleasures to live in a Comfortless and lonely Desart to be confin'd to a Dark and Loathsom Dungeon and to die cruelly by the hand of the Hangman I grant that this is all unpleasing to the Flesh But do they not find that God sufficiently recompences those who suffer for his sake That he gives 'em his Heaven and gave 'em himself Whatever the Suff'rings are to which the Lord Jesus exposes his Believers and his Members are they comparable to what he suffer'd himself to purchase our Salvation Or is there any Proportion between them and the Recompence which the Mercy of God bestows upon us between the Miseries of this Life and those which we may justly be afraid of after Death between the Blessings which it is in his Power to bereave us of and those which he has prepared for us between the false Pleasures which we are requir'd to renounce and the solid Pleasures which we hope to enjoy between the Honours and Dignities which we quit in this World and those Eternal Glories to which we are designed 'T is a hard case to be persecuted crys the Flesh but is it not a happy thing to be favour'd of God to be at peace in our Souls to be assur'd of the Love of the Father of Heaven to be Heirs of an Eternal Inheritance to wear one day a Crown of Life and to enjoy an endless Felicity 'T is a hard case to live in Adversity but is it not infinitely more tedious for a Man to bear about him his Accuser his Witness his Judge and his Executioner to be gnaw'd by a Worm that never Dies and to enjoy no Repose It is a terrible Thing to be reduc'd to the Condition of Lazarus but it is much more dreadful to be cast headlong into Hell with the Wicked Rich Man while Lazarus is receiv'd into Abraham's Bosom It is a hard Case for a Man to lay down his Life but is it not a happiness to lose it for Jesus Christ's sake to the end we may live Eternally with him What is it which God requires of us which the Devil does not exact from his Slaves thô they never can expect other from him then Eternal Misery and what we do not frequently do our selves upon wicked Impulses and to satisfie our Passions I shall not extend this Discourse any farther I only beseech God that our Indifferent Men and Libertines may seriously reflect upon it CHAP. XIX Against those who maintain that we ought to believe what the Magistrates will have us believe I Come now to those who hold that the Sovereign Law which is to be followed as well in Sacred as in Civil Matters is the Law of Magistrates and that every Thing is to be subjected to their Commands This was the Sentiment of an Author famous once in England and who has still but too many followers He believ'd that the Ifraelites were bound to receive for the Law of God what Abraham delivered to 'em for the Law of God and that the Publick Laws supply the Place of Conscience to all Men. He said moreover explaining those words of Matt. 10.32 Who shall deny me before Men c. That a Subject was not to be blam'd for renouncing Christ if he were thereto constrain'd by his Prince I compare the Author of this Opinion to that same wretched Flatterer who formerly proposed in favour of his Prince a Declaration importing that nothing should be look'd upon as just but what the King requir'd Nor much unlike to this was the Practise of those Hereticks which a certain Philosopher upbraided that they ador'd not God but the Imperial Pomp changing Opinions according to the Sentiments of that Prince under whom they lived This is an Impious Opinion and it is very easie to shew the Falshood of it In a word were there any Ground for this Opinion there would be no longer any other Deity to be acknowledged but the Magistrate under whom we are born Subjects and we ought not to admit of any other Rule for the Conduct of our Lives and our Manners then the Laws of Princes There would be no need of Informing our selves what God has reveal'd to Men or what his Pleasure is but what the Magistrate commands us We must expound the Scripture according to the Sentiments of the Magistrates under whom we Live and not as it expounds it self as that Emperor pretended who by an Edict ordain'd that a certain Passage of Scripture should be explain'd according to his Sense We ought to obey 'em in despight of our Consciences and the Light of Right Reason and Daniel is extreamly to be blam'd who refus'd to obey the Impious Edicts of the Prince under whom he lived Who can hear such Discourses as this without trembling Besides is it not ridiculous to think that Men are bereft of their Reason and the knowledge of Good and Evil so soon as they list themselves in a Society while that same Knowledge resides only in Sovereigns or that we should be bound to do that which we know to be a Sin But say they does not the Scripture command us to obey the Magistrate 'T
to bid good speed to those that bring not the Doctrine of Christ for it appears that he speaks of the same Seducers who confess'd not that Jesus Christ was come in the Flesh Wherefore is it that he would have us stand so strictly upon our Guards when the business in Dispute is about the receiving a Doctrine or not receiving it if it were sufficient for a Man to correct his Manners to be Sav'd III. I draw a Third Argument from hence that the Doctor of the Gentiles thunders out Anathema's against those that press the observation of the Mosaic Ceremonies thô they carefully enjoyn'd the practise of the Moral Law If it were sufficient to observe the Decalogue would Christian Charity have allow'd St. Paul to Anathematize People who believ'd in Christ only that they were zealous of the Law Acts 21.20 and who were only for joyning Moses to Jesus Christ the Ceremonies of the one to the Gospel of the other IV. If this Opinion which we oppose were true whence comes it that the Scripture condemns the Unbelievers to Eternal Pains Apoc. 21.8 and that it excludes Idolaters out of the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.10 There can be no other Reason given but only because that living Morally well is not sufficient for the obtaining of Eternal Salvation but that it behoves us to believe those Truths which are Taught us Fifthly If Living according to the Rules of Moral Honesty were sufficient to bring a Man to Heaven I would fain know the Reason why the Apostles take so much pains to instruct People in the Truths of the Gospel why do they keep such a stir to prove that Christ is the Promised Messiah that they speak of his Divinity and his Cross two things that equally stumbled both the Jews and the Gentiles Had it not been sufficient to have taught 'em Good Morality Sixthly Whence comes in to pass that Christ and his Apostles so frequently exhort us to suffer for their Truth and that so many persons have suffered Martyrdom in Defence of the Truth of which they might have been ignorant if we may believe our Antagonists without being deprived of Salvation There would have been but very few Confessors and Martyrs had Moral Honesty been sufficient to bring us to Eternal Felicity To all these Proofs I add this Important Reflexion that we draw from the Truths of the Gospel which are propos'd to us to the end we should believe 'em the most powerful Morives that are able to engage us to Holiness There is nothing more prevalent to incline Men to Sanctification then to make known to 'em a God that loves Men to that Degree as to give 'em his only begotten Son a God that abhors and detests Sin to that degree that he rather chose to expose to Death his only Son in whom he is well pleased then to leave Sin Unpunished A God that takes upon him Human Nature and under that Nature suffers a most Cruel Death to make an Atonement for the Sin of Men and to satisfie Divine Vengeance justly provoked against ' em Lastly A God that penetrates into the most secret Folds and Concealments of the Heart who is to raise the Dead and bring 'em to appear before his Throne to give an Account of all their Actions It behoves us therefore to believe if we will live well and to believe and live well if we intend to be Sav'd CHAP. XXI That the Opinion of Indifferenay in Religions has displeased almost all People THere remains nothing more for me but only to Answer an Argument which is attributed to the King of Siam and which we have cited already in the Third Chapter The True God said he who Created the Heaven and the Earth and all the Creatures therein contained and who has given 'em Natures and Inclinations so different had he so pleased by giving Bodies and Souls alike to Men could have inspir'd into 'em the same Sentiments as to what Religion it behov'd 'em to follow and have caused all Nations to agree and unire under one and the same Law But it seems that Providence permits diversity of Sects because God takes as much delight to be honoured with different sorts of Worship and various Ceremonies as to be glorify'd by a Prodigious Number of Creatures the variety of whose Beauty 's set forth and Magnifies his Infinite Power There are some People who suffer themselves to be dazled with this Argument but I beseech 'em to consider that it may be prov'd as well that God takes pleasure in the Sins which Men Commit For it might be said that had God so pleased by giving to Men Bodies and Souls alike he might have infused into 'em the same Sentiments for Virtue but that it seems as if he permitted the one to be Wise and Virtuous the other to be very Vicious because he takes delight in the variety of Humours and Inclinations Now I am apt to believe there are very few that would approve such a Method of Arguing To this first Answer I may add two more The first is That there might be something Plausible in this first Argument of the King of Siam if God had not really made known to Men what it was that he requir'd 'em to believe and what they were to do But we have proved that he has reveal'd it to 'em and that they need no more then read the Scripture with attention and without prejudice to understand which is the True Religion The Second Answer is That this Argument is grounded upon a false Principle that God might have inspired into all Men the same Sentiments of Religion had he not taken delight in Variety For God is not bound to make himself known alike to all Men. He is absolutely at his own Liberty in all his Works They to whom he has reveal'd himself have no more cause to magnifie themselves then others and they from whom he conceals himself have no cause to complain Moreover it is not to be imagined from the Opinion which the King of Siam seems to have concerning Indifferency in Religions that this Sentiment derives it self naturally into the Thoughts of all Men. On the other side it would be easie to prove that the greatest part of Religions have condemned it The thing is clear in respect of the Christian Religion nor is there any need of bringing farther Proofs The Pagans were so fixed to their Old Opinions that one of the most Learned Interpreters of Virgil observes that great Care was taken both among the Athenians and the Romans that no body introduced New Religions For that Reason it was that Socrates was condemned at Athens that the Jews were expell'd Rome and that the Books of Numa were burnt Josephus reports that the Athenians inflicted grievous punishments upon those that introduc'd new Deities and durst presume so much as to speak against their Law Dionisius of Halicarnassus asserts that not only the Greeks but also the Barbarians carefully preserv'd the Religion of their Ancestors and the same thing is reported of the Scythians and Persians Nevertheless we will not deny what Socrates said that it was lawful for every Body to serve the Deity according to the Custom of the Country and that Foreign Gods were often transported to Rome and Athens But give us leave to make these Three Remarks 1. That the Testimony of Socrates is of no Weight because he was Condemned at Athens 2. That the greatest Part of those Deities which were transported to Rome were remov'd out of the Cities which the Romans had Besieg'd and were by the Priest Invited before the whole Army to the Capital of all Italy where they should have as they said more Temples more Sacrifices and more Adorers To which we may add that they were therefore removed because it was an Opinion among 'em that all Places had their Tutelar Deities and that they could not take Cities till after they had removed the Gods that protected ' em 3. That those Gods which were carried to Rome Athens and other Places and those that were there Worshiped under the Character of unknown Gods are sufficient proofs that some Accident fell out of which they believed some Deity that was unknown to 'em to be the Author and make it appear that the Romans were of Opinion that the more Gods they had in their Cities the more Protectors they had But from thence it does not follow that the Athenians and Romans believ'd that all Religions were Indifferent For had they so thought why did they persecute so Cruelly the Christians and the Jews It is certain also that they derided those New Gods that were introduced as appears by the Comedies of Aristophanes To which I may add that the Bramiry among the Indians who are the Ancient Brachmans believe that every Body may be saved in his own Religion provided he follow exactly the way that God has shewed him but that he shall be Damn'd if he pursues any other As for the Mahometans 't is very true that Mahomet seems to favour Indifferency in Religions while he says in his Alcoran that every Man who lives well who Worships the true God and does good Works whether Christian or Jew obtains the Favour of his God Nevertheless 't is certain that in another place he asserts that the Law is the only way of Salvation and ordains his Religion to be established in the World by force of Arms. Indeed it would be a kind of Wonder that the Mahometans should think that the Christians could be Saved seeing that the Christians aver Mahomet to be an Impostor and daily beg of God that that same false Prophet may have no more followers but that his Religion may be rooted from the Earth Moreover 't is well known that the Turks openly condemn the Persians Which they would never do if ' they thought all Religions were Indifferent As for the Jews the Thing is so certain that he who questions it must never have read their Writings For they continually curse the Christians and are so obstinately persuaded of the Truth of their Religion nay more That it is the only True Religion in the World that there have been several who have rather chosen to die then Violate the meanest precept of their Law THE END