Such are the Inferences, that naturally flow from the Articles of the Epicures and the Atheiſts Creed. The folly and abſurdneſs whereof I ſhall not endeavour to expoſe, themſelves would not be content that they ſhould be purſued to their proper iſſues. For were Conſcience once diſcharged from the obligations of Religion, they could not reaſonably hope to be one minute ſecure and undiſturbed in their beloved Pleaſures and Poſſeſſions, but that the longeſt Sword and the ſtrongeſt Arm would ſoon put in a claim for the biggeſt ſhare. Indeed I am loth to think ſo ill of human Nature, as to believe, however the temptation may ſucceed with a few, that any conſiderable part of Mankind ſhould fall under ſo black a charge. There is a natural ſenſe of God impreſſed upon the Minds of Men, Principles born and bred up with us, and which freely bear witneſs to God and Goodneſs, which may for a time be ſuppreſſed and laid a ſleep, but can hardly by any arts be ſo choaked and ſtifled, but that upon every occaſion this vital Principle will awake, ſtart up and betray it ſelf. When therefore the ſubtil Agent finds this Engin too weak to prevail, at leaſt on the generality of Mankind, he has another at hand, to keep them off from engaging in a ſober and a virtuous courſe, and that is

II. Secondly, by making falſe and undue repreſentations of Religion, by dreſſing it up in ſo unlovely a garb, as ſhall fright Men from the embraces of it: When he cannot prevail with Men to doubt of the truth, he will perſwade them to queſtion the goodneſs and equity of Religion. And a twofold artifice is commonly made uſe of, to prejudice Religion in the Minds of Men, that its reſtraints are unjuſt and unreaſonable, and that the commands of it are difficult or impoſſible.

Firſt, Religion is look'd upon as a tyrannical Incroachment upon the natural Rights and Priviledges of Mankind, as laying unjuſt and unreaſonable reſtraints upon Men, ſuch as enſlave our free born faculties, confine our native appetites, and tye us up from all agreeable pleaſures and delights; that we cannot be good, but we muſt ceaſe to be Men, nor embrace Religion, but we muſt put off humanity; that certainly God never intended His Laws ſhould be an oppreſſion and a torment to Mankind, nor ever gave them ſuch vaſt appetites and deſires, or furniſhed the Creation with ſuch variety of beautiful and grateful Objects, meerly to tantalize their deſires; that it's in vain to talk of freedom and liberty, when we are bound up by the Laws of Juſtice and Righteouſneſs, that we muſt not exert our power, though never ſo convenient an advantage be offered to greaten and enrich our ſelves; when we cannot ſecurely gratifie our inclinations with thoſe pleaſures, that are acceptable to our ſenſes and our appetites, but Religion muſt interpoſe, with the precepts of Sobriety and Chaſtity, Temperance and Moderation, to control and interrupt us.

But if this Temptation ſignifie any thing, it pleads for an univerſal exemption from all Laws, there being no Law without a reſtraint, and then what becomes of Obedience to natural Parents or civil Powers? what of our Obligations to God as our great Parent and Benefactor? The Laws of our Creature-ſhip and dependance do neceſſarily and indiſpenſibly ſubject us to God as our Creator, and we can as ſoon ceaſe to be Creatures, as become independent: And if any reſtraints be neceſſary and allowable, what can be more fit and comely, than thoſe which Religion lays upon us? ſo proper and agreeable to our Natures, ſo conducive to our Intereſt, ſo neceſſary to the Peace and Happineſs of the World, that were they generally thrown off, particular Perſons and publick Societies would be immediately hurried into diſorder and a Chaos, and Mankind become like a Forreſt of wild Beaſts, equally ſavage, and mutually deſtructive of one another. Nor are we debarred any delights and ſatisfactions, but what are vicious and irregular, diſhonourable and deſtructive to our Natures, and a diſparagement both to our Religion and our Reaſon, and the abſtaining from which does immediately conduce to make us happy. But it's repreſented

Secondly, to the diſadvantage of Religion, that the Precepts of it are difficult, if not impoſſible; that it binds upon us heavy burthens and grievous to be born, and what it commands is an hard ſaying, and who can bear it? eſpecially in our fallen and degenerate ſtate, which has laid us under ſo much weakneſs and impotency, that conſidering the neceſſary and unavoidable infirmities of our Nature, 'tis no great wonder if we do ſlip and fall; when we cannot rectifie what is crooked, nor have ſtrength enough to bear up againſt the ſtream that comes full upon us. Can the Leopard change his ſpots? or the Ethiopian waſh white his skin? If God deſigned we ſhould lead an innocent and ſpotleſs life, why did He not reform and mend the Faculties of the Soul, or render it incapable to prevaricate and ſin againſt Him? Nay but, O man! who art thou that replieſt againſt God? Shall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, why haſt thou made me thus? God made man upright, and himſelf ſought out many inventions. Nor even in the preſent ſtate wherein we are, does God require any thing of us that is impoſſible. His Law is holy, juſt, and good; His yoke is eaſie, and his burthen light; His commandements are not grievous, but that whoever is born of God overcomes the world. He is not wanting to render our Duty eaſie to us; He encourages our hopes with the promiſes of an infinite reward, and by the threatenings of a future and intolerable vengeance, awakens our fears to a due care and caution. He aſſiſts our infirmities with a ſtrength proportionable to our weakneſs, and the neceſſities of our ſtate; ſo that though the temptations that aſſault us be ſtrong and mighty, yet greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world: The Grace and Spirit of God are an unconquerable Principle, for which no command can be too hard or heavy, and theſe God is always ready to afford, and never withdraws from any, 'till by a long train and courſe of impiety, and many wilful and obſtinate refuſals, they have forfeited the aids of Divine Grace, and rendered themſelves unworthy of it. Beſides that, there are few difficulties in Religion, but what our own folly have made to be ſo, and thoſe that are, as 'tis in all Arts and Inſtitutions, are worſt at firſt, which being once broken and conquered, the main difficulties of a Religious Life are overcome, and every ſtep of the way after becomes more pleaſant and delightful.

III. Another artifice, by which Satan is wont to obſtruct real piety and a good life, is by tempting Men to place all Religion in a few empty and external pretenſions to piety and holineſs, devoid of the inward life and ſpirit of Religion. Some kind of Religion moſt Men are for, in ſpite of all the projects and deſigns of Hell, which becauſe Satan cannot hinder, he'll take care it ſhall be ſuch, as ſhall do them little good; and Men are forward enough to comply with that, which bids faireſt to carry them to Heaven upon the cheapeſt terms. And hence it is, that inſtead of a ſincere and ſubſtantial piety, an inward ſubjection of the Soul to God, and a conformity of the Life to the eternal Laws of Truth and Goodneſs, they generally take up in a looſe profeſſion, in a few ſlighty obſervances, and ſuperficial formalities of Devotion. This is too ſadly viſible among the ſeveral pretending parties to Religion in the World. Some there are, whoſe beſt title to Religion, is the accommodating themſelves to ſome particular mode of adminiſtration, that they have joyned themſelves to this Mans Church, or that Mans Congregation, and are warm and active to eſpouſe and promote the Intereſts of a little Tribe or Faction. Others ſpend their zeal for the Orthodoxy of their private and particular Notions and Opinions, regardleſs at the ſame time of Love and Charity, the good of the Church, and the peace of the World, without which all our clamour is but a blind and intemperate zeal, a bitter and unwarrantable paſſion, conſecrated by a more venerable Name. There are, that pleaſe themſelves with the number and frequency of their Devotions, pray much, and hear often, and ſo far 'tis well; but then never regard with what honeſty of mind, and ſprightly vivacity of affection, their Incenſe is offered up, nay poſſibly reckon into the bargain, that the cuſtomary diſcharge of theſe ſhall redeem their credit with Heaven, for all the miſcarriages of their lives. The Scribes and Phariſes, above all the Sects in the Jewiſh Church, entit'led themſelves to the higheſt ſtrictneſſes and ſeverities of Religion, faſted at every turn, gave alms twice a week, prayed in every corner of the ſtreets, and ſome of them did almoſt nothing elſe but pray; and yet theſe grave and demure pretenders, made uſe of theſe only as a cloak to cover their malice and ill nature, their rapine and violence, and the greateſt villany and oppreſſion; they prayed to God, and at the ſame time robbed the Orphan and devoured Widows houſes, tythed mint, anniſe, and cummin, and neglected judgment, mercy, and fidedelity, the greater and weightier matters of the Law.

How great a part of the Chriſtian World is trained up in meer outward forms and ritual ſervices, in eaſie devotions and cheap performances, is too notorious to inſiſt upon. When the main of a Chriſtians Duty ſhall be reckoned to conſiſt in a few bodily exerciſes, and corporal ſeverities, in numbering over a ſet of prayers, which the Votary it may be does neither mind, nor is capable to underſtand. When one act of contrition, an eaſie or a trifling pennance, a ſhort confeſſion, and an abſolution, ſhall be thought enough, even in the article of death, to put a Man into a ſtate of ſalvation, and to ſecure his happineſs in another world. Repentance, alas! is the great buſineſs of a Man's Life, and is then ſincere and effectual to the purpoſes of Religion, when 'tis attended with a real and a hearty reformation; and without this, ten thouſand Indulgences cannot profit him, nor all the Abſolutions in the world relieve the Conſcience of a guilty Sinner. Mich. 6.7, 8. Will the Lord be pleaſed with thouſands of Rams? or ten thouſands of Rivers of Oyl? He hath ſhewed thee, O man! what is good, and what the Lord doth require of thee, to do juſtly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. The ſumm is this: Religion is an inward and a vital Principle, a conſtant ſpring of uniform and entire Obedience, that lyes not in forms and ſhews, in ſubtilties and diſputes, in Schemes of ſpeech, or Syſtems of opinions, in glorious pretences, or being of a Sect or Party, but in a divine life, in a great love to God, and a veneration of his Perfections, a dread of his Power, and a reverence for his Laws, in the mortification of our paſſions, and the ſubjection of our irregular deſires, in being meek and humble, compaſſionate and charitable, juſt and righteous: It is not an art of ſpeaking finely, Mat. 7.21. but of living well, Not every one that ſayeth, Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the Will of my Father that is in Heaven: 'Tis the participation of a Divine Nature, and a conformity to the Image of God, the keeping a conſcience void of offence, both towards God and men. And whoever takes up ſhort of this, ſits down in the porch, and contents himſelf with a name to live, and may have Religion enough to make him an Hypocrite, but not truly to entitle him to be a Chriſtian. The Kingdom of God is not meats and drinks, Rom. 14.17. it is not to be exact and curious, as the Jews were, about abundance of little obſervances, and ritual devotions, but righteouſneſs, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt.

IV. Fourthly, Satan too often prevails upon Men, by tempting them to ſuch Vices, as have a ſhadow and reſemblance of Virtue. The politick and crafty Spirit knows very well, that Sin is of ſo black a nature, that it will never take, eſpecially with the more ſober and conſidering ſort of Men, in its own naked ſhape, and therefore dreſſes it up in a better garb, and calls it by another name. Few Men but would recoil and ſtart at a down-right temptation to murder, but when 'tis whetted by revenge, and ſet off as the maintaining our reputation and our honour, it goes down readily without control. Caiphas 'tis like had no perſonal pique and quarrel at our bleſſed Saviour, when he adviſed the Sanhedrim to cut him off; but he did it under the ſpecious notion of a common good, and the publick ſecurity of the Nation. How came Satan to actuate St. Paul with a ſpirit of ſo much bitterneſs and animoſity, ſuch a furious and paſſionate ſpleen, againſt the primitive Believers, but only that he perſwaded him, that the Glory of God, and the Honour of his Religion, did ſo deeply lye at ſtake? What makes Avarice ſpread ſo far, and that with many, otherwiſe high pretenders to Religion, but becauſe it aſſumes to it ſelf the plauſible pretext of a laudable diligence and frugality, and a commendable care to make proviſion for our ſelves and families, warranted and enjoyned by the Laws of Nature and Religion? And under the ſhadow of this, the Tempter leads Men into all the extravagant irregularities, into which a greedy and rapacious Mind is capable to betray them. Pride never ſpreads its plumes with more ſucceſs, than when 'tis recommended as a piece of neatneſs and gentility, and a juſt valuing of our ſelves according to our deſert and quality. Many a Man would never be betrayed into the exceſſes of riot and intemperance, did he not look upon it as an argument of a free generous mind, and a piece of innocent good fellowſhip and ſociety. And thus Satan very ſucceſsfully leads Men into works of darkneſs, by appearing to them as an Angel of light, and puts off his temptations under the notion, either of what is virtuous, or at leaſt what is uſeful and lawful to them.

V. I ſhall mention but one art and ſtratagem more, whereby this great Enemy recommends his temptations with advantage to us, and that is, by improving the influence of powerful and prevalent Examples. Mankind is of a ſociable and pliant temper, eaſily drawn aſide with the moſt, eſpecially with a multitude to do evil, becauſe the by as of corrupt Nature runs that way. We are apt to look upon it as ſome kind of ſhelter and patronage, to ſin in company, where every one bears his ſhare of the guilt and ſhame, and ſo it ſeems leſs by being divided, like a great Stream that is cut into little Rivulets. Example is a mighty argument, and one of Satan's moſt effectual ſnares, and which many times, without great care and reſolution, there is no way to avoid; for the corruption of manners, has I know not how introduced a kind of neceſſity, of doing as the company does wherein we are, and to refuſe it, is look'd upon as a treſpaſs againſt the Laws of Civility and good Manners, and the Man accounted either a Clown or an Hypocrite, that will not venture as far as the reſt, and run with them into the ſame exceſs of riot.

And the force of the temptation is ſo much the ſtronger, by how much thoſe whom we follow, are perſons for whom we have a more peculiar eſteem and veneration, or by whom we have been obliged, as our Benefactors. We have a natural regard and reverence for our betters, and are prone to imitate them by an implicit Faith. The vulgar part of Mankind look upon their Superiours, that as they ſtand under higher and ſtronger obligations to Virtue and Piety, ſo they are furniſhed with happier advantages of underſtanding the true natures and differences of things, than other Men, and accordingly from them are apt to take the common meaſures of good or evil, and to defend themſelves with the warrant and authority of thoſe that are above them. The Examples of Great Men give Laws to converſation, and are able to add a reputation either to Vice or Virtue, and one ſuch inſtance ſhall ſooner prevail with Men to ſet upon thoſe things that are juſt and pure, lovely and of good report, than an hundred arguments ſhall perſwade them: As, on the other hand, Vice is never more fatally proſperous and ſucceſsful, than when it has the patronage of great Examples to recommend it.

By theſe few Inſtances, we ſee the lot and portion of the preſent ſtate, what ſnares and ſtratagems, what policies and devices, we are expoſed to on every ſide, what troops of temptations are round about us; that therefore it concerns us to ſtand continually upon our guard, to keep our conſiderations awake, to preſerve our conſciences quick and tender, to be infinitely watchful, that our foot be not taken in any of thoſe ſnares, that are purpoſely laid to ruin us, not only in this, but (which is unconceivably of more importance) in the other life. For a courſe of impiety, has not only a fatal and malignant influence upon the affairs of the preſent ſtate, it does not only tend to conſume the eſtate, or blaſt the reputation, or waſte the body, diſtract and torment the mind, and render every condition troubleſome and uneaſie, theſe, alas! are but the beginning of ſorrows, in reſpect of that portion of miſery, that awaits the Sinner in the future ſtate, when the wrath and diſpleaſure of the Almighty ſhall finally overtake him, and come upon him to the uttermoſt. For the other World is the proper ſcene and ſtage, whereon the Divine Juſtice ſhall ride in triumph in the executions of its vengeance; when Conſcience ſhall be let looſe with all its ſtings, and perpetually prey upon it ſelf; when the remembrances of an ill-ſpent life, and the ſad reflections upon its paſt ſins and pleaſures, ſhall be always preſſing in upon it, and the Soul unable either to deny or ſhift off the evidence; when nothing ſhall be able to mitigate the grief, or to beguile the ſenſe of it; when there ſhall be no raviſhing objects, external pleaſures, no muſical Airs, or boon Companions, to charm Conſcience aſleep again, no intermitting fits of eaſe, but the Soul groaning under perpetual paroxyſms of rage and terrour.

The conſideration whereof, ought to allarm our fears, that if there be any care of our ſelves, any ſerious regards of our eternal ſtate, we may be wiſe in time, before it be too late, recover our ſelves out of the ſnare of the Devil, and become ſober and vigilant; becauſe our adverſary goes about, ſeeking whom he may devour. 'Tis no contemptible Enemy that we have to deal with, nor the leſs to be feared becauſe inviſible, nay 'tis this renders him more capable of ſucceeding in his attempts upon us; for by this means he maintains a nearer and more ſecret intercourſe with the Spirits of Men, makes more undiſcerned and inſenſible approaches, and ſtorms the walls before we are aware: He is admirably acute and ſubtil, to plant his engins, to make his batteries in the weakeſt part, he narrowly obſerves our tempers and conſtitutions, our fears and ſcruples, our diſpoſitions and inclinations, and accordingly adapts his temptations to us with moſt ſucceſs, Salluſt. de Bell. Catal. c. 14. p. 32. Ut cujuſque ſtudium ex aetate flagrabat, as the Hiſtorian remarques concerning the Arts of Catalin, in every period of life he furniſhes Men with what is moſt agreeable to their age and temper.

But, alas! though Men had no foreign Enemy from without to make war upon them, though there were no ſubtil Tempter to ſeduce them, there is an Enemy within their own breaſts, that lays trains to ruin them; their own corrupt and vicious inclinations ſet open the door, and hurry them forth to meet the temptation that's coming towards them: Jam. 1.14. Every man is tempted, when he is drawn aſide of his own luſt, and enticed. Herein lyes Satans great advantage, he knows our ſtrength is ſmall, our propenſions to ſin impetuous and violent, and how apt we are to be betrayed by our appetites and paſſions. All external Objects, though never ſo raviſhing and delightful, could make no impreſſion, were there not a party within, that's falſe to the true intereſts of the Soul. Satan, as potent and crafty as he is, cannot raviſh our wills, nor force our inclinations; the worſt he can do, is to prompt and perſwade, to watch advantages, and adminiſter ſuitable ſollicitations, but cannot compel us to entertain them. No Man is undone, but himſelf is the cauſe on't, he that would not, cannot be overcome, provided he keep his reſolutions fix'd and ſtedfaſt. This is the true way of conqueſt and victory over Satan, reſiſt the Devil, Jam. 4.7. and he will flye from you; if we do but make good our ground, his temptations will vaniſh and diſappear.

Let us then treaſure up in our Minds a great ſenſe of God and of our ſelves, let us ſuffer Conſcience freely to diſcharge its duty, and have our ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern betwixt good and evil. Let us reverence the greatneſs and nobility of our Natures, which are of a more Divine frame and temper, than to be proſtituted and defiled. There's no real Evil in this World but Sin, other things may be evil to us, but that's evil in it ſelf: There's an eternal and unalterable deformity in its nature, which no plauſible pretences can wipe off: As Virtue and Goodneſs are in themſelves lovely and excellent, ſo Wickedneſs is eſſentially vile and baſe.