| 1 |
I HAD rather beleeue
all the Fables in the
Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran,
then that this vniuersall Frame, is without
a Minde. And therefore, God neuer wrought Miracle, to
conuince Atheisme, because his Ordinary
Works conuince it. It is true, that a little Philosophy inclineth Mans Minde to
Atheisme; But depth in Philosophy,
bringeth Mens Mindes about to Religion:
For while the Minde of Man, looketh
vpon Second Causes Scattered, it may
sometimes rest in them, and goe no
further: But when it beholdeth, the Chaine
of them, Confederate and Linked together, it must needs flie to Prouidence, and
Deitie. Nay euen that Schoole, which is
most accused of Atheisme, doth most
demonstrate Religion; That is, the Schoole
of Leucippus, and Democritus, and Epicurus. For it is a thousand times more
Credible, that foure Mutable Elements,
and one Immutable Fift Essence, duly
and Eternally placed, need no God; then
that an Army, of Infinite small Portions,
or Seedes vnplaced, should haue produced this Order, and Beauty, without a Diuine Marshall. The Scripture saith; The
Foole hath said in his Heart, there is no God:
It is not said; The Foole hath thought in his
Heart: So as, he rather saith it by rote to
himselfe, as that he would haue, then that
he can throughly beleeue it, or be perswaded of it. For none deny there is a God,
but those, for whom it maketh that there
were no God. It appeareth in nothing
more, that Atheisme is rather in the Lip,
then in the Heart of Man, then by this;
That Atheists will euer be talking of that
their Opinion, as if they fainted in it,
within themselues, and would be glad
to be strengthned, by the Consent of others: Nay more, you shall haue Atheists
striue to get Disciples, as it fareth with other Sects: And, which is most of all, you
shall haue of them, that will suffer for
Atheisme, and not recant; Wheras, if they
did truly thinke, that there were no such
Thing as God, why should they trouble
themselues? Epicurus is charged, that he
did but dissemble, for his credits sake,
when he affirmed; There were Blessed
Natures, but such as enioyed themselues,
without hauing respect to the Gouernment of the World. Wherin, they say, he
did temporize; though in secret, he
thought, there was no God. But certainly,
he is traduced; For his Words are Noble and Diuine: Non Deos vulgi negare
profanum, sed vulgi Opiniones Dijs applicare profanum. Plato could haue said no
more. And although, he had the Confidence, to deny the Administration, he had
not the Power to deny the Nature. The
Indians of the West, haue Names for their
particular Gods, though they haue no
name for God: As if the Heathens, should
haue had the Names Iupiter, Apollo, Mars,
&c. But not the Word Deus: which
shewes, that euen those Barbarous People, haue the Notion, though they haue
not the Latitude, and Extent of it. So
that against Atheists, the very Sauages take
part, with the very subtillest Philosophers.
The Contemplatiue Atheist is rare; A Diagoras, a Bion, a Lucian perhaps, and some
others; And yet they seeme to be more
then they are; For that, all that Impugne
a receiued Religion, or Superstition, are by
the aduerse Part, branded with the Name
of Atheists. But the great Atheists, indeed,
are Hypocrites; which are euer Handling
Holy Things, but without Feeling. So
as they must needs be cauterized in the
End. The Causes of Atheisme are; Diuisions in Religion, if they be many; For any
one maine Diuision, addeth Zeale to both
Sides; But many Diuisions introduce
Atheisme. Another is, Scandall of Priests;
When it is come to that, which S. Bernard
saith; Non est iam dicere, vt Populus, sic
Sacerdos: quia nec sic Populus, vt Sacerdos.
A third is, Custome of Profane Scoffing in
Holy Matters; which doth, by little and
little, deface the Reuerence of Religion.
And lastly, Learned Times, specially with
Peace, and Prosperity: For Troubles and
Aduersities doe more bow Mens Mindes
to Religion. They that deny a God, destroy
Mans Nobility: For certainly, Man is of
Kinne to the Beasts, by his Body; And if,
he be not of Kinne to God, by his Spirit,
he is a Base and Ignoble Creature. It destroies likewise Magnanimity, and the
Raising of Humane Nature: For take an
Example of a Dog; And mark what a Generosity, and Courage he will put on,
when he findes himselfe maintained, by a
Man; who to him is in stead of a God, or
Melior Natura: which courage is manifestly such, as that Creature, without that
Confidence, of a better Nature, then his
owne, could neuer attaine. So Man, when
he resteth and assureth himselfe, vpon diuine Protection, and Fauour, gathereth a
Force and Faith; which Humane Nature,
in it selfe, could not obtaine. Therefore,
as Atheisme is in all respects hatefull, so in
this, that it depriueth humane Nature, of
the Meanes, to exalt it selfe, aboue Humane Frailty. As it is in particular Persons, so it is in Nations: Neuer was there
such a State, for Magnanimity, as Rome:
Of this State heare what Cicero saith;
Quam volumus, licet, patres conscripti, nos
amemus, tamen nec numero Hispanos, nec
robore Gallos, nec calliditate Pænos, nec artibus Græcos, nec denique hoc ipso huius Gentis
& Terræ domestico natiuoque sensu Italos ipsos & Latinos; sed Pietate, ac Religione, atque hâc vnâ Sapientiâ, quod Deorum Immortalium Numine, omnia regi, gubernarique
perspeximus, omnes Gentes Nationesque superauimus.
|
