ec indeed, more miferable than befts would fuch men "be, who were always bufied in fubduing their paffions, and improving themselves in piety, and "juftice, and every other virtue. At this rate,

"the animal and belluine life would be the beft; "virtue would be downright folly; the threats of "future vengeance, matter of fport and laughter; "the pursuits of all kind of pleasure, our chiefest <6 good; and the rule by which men and beasts "ought then equally to guide themfelves, would "be that beloved maxim of the Epicures; Let us "eat and drink, for to- no row w⋅ die.".

This laft paffage from Athenagoras includes, and very ftrongly affirms, all the parts of my doctrine which have been excepted againft; not only my pofitions, but the notion itself alfo on which they are founded; and which now, therefore, I proceed likewife to vindicate from the charge of novelty, by the following authorities,

My notion (as it is called) is, That "fuppofing "the prefent to be the only life we are to lead, "I fee not but that pleasing and painful fenfations "might be esteemed the true measure of happi"nefs and mifery This is all I fay of the mat"ter, there being no other paffiges of like import with this throughout my whole fermon. And have not Archbishop Tiltfon, Dr. Scot, Dr. Sherlock, Dr. Lucas, and others, faid the fame thing, in a manner lefs referved, and in terms of yet greater force and compass, without gining any offence (that I know of) to any of thole many ferious and understanding Chriftians *, who

* Let. P 4.

daily perufe their excellent writings with pleasure and edification.

C

Archbishop Tillotfon, Vol. ix. p. 48. The determination of the apoftle is according to the nature, and the truth and reafon of things, That if in this life only we have hores, we were of ail men most miferable. For although it be true, that, as things now stand, and as the nature of man is framed, good men do find a strange kind of inward pleafure and fatisfaction in the "difcharge of their duty, yet every man, that confults his own breaft, will find that his delight and contentment chiefly springs from the hopes which men conceive, That an holy and virtuous "life shall not be unrewarded. And without these hores, virtue is but a send an empty name."

Vol. II. 265. If we were fure that there were no life after this, if we had no expectation of a happiness or mifery beyond this world; the wifeft thing that any man could do, would be, to enjoy as much of the prefent contentments and fatisfacttons of this world, as he could fairly come at. For if there be no refurrection to another life the apoftle allows the reafoning of the Epicure to be very good; Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." Dr. Scot's Chrift. Life, Part iii Vol i. Ch. 5. P. 301. If there were no other life after this, it would be folly fo much as to attempt it [the en'joyment of God by contemplation and love, and the imitation of his perfections]; for what man in his wits would ever think it worth the while to fpend a confiderable part of his life in waging war with himfeif, mortifying his affections,

'croffing

croffing and starving out his dearest inclinations ་ (which yet he muft do, ere he can arrive at any comfortable degree of divine enjoyment) if there were no other recompence to be expected at laft, but to live a few days longer in a raptur ous muse, and then lie down in everlasting darknefs and infenfibility? Had he not a thousand 'times better please and gratify himself at prefent, content his craving defires with the goods that are before him, and take his fill of those fenfual delights that readily offer themselves to his enjoyment; than run away from them in a long and wearifome queft of fpiritual joys, which, for all he knows, he may never arrive to, or, if he doth, is fure, within a few moments, to be deprived of them for ever?"

Dr. Sherlock & Practical Difcourfe concerning a Future Judgment, p. 116, &c. The whole Chriftian Religion is founded on, and adapted to, the belief of a future judgment, and is a ⚫ very unintelligible inftitution without it.-The temporal promifes made to an holy and virtuous life- extend no further than food and rayment, to our daily bread-But who would be contented with fuch a fcanty provifion, while he fees the greater profperity of bad men, who diffolve in eafe and luxury, were there not an happy state referved for him in the next world? Where is the man who would not comply with the Devil's temptation, to fall down and worship for all the 'kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, were he not to lose a brighter and a richer crown for it?'

Ibid. p. 119, &c. Many of our Saviour's laws

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are founded on the fuppofition of a future judgment, and are extremely unreasonable, if 'there be no rewards or punishments after this life-The only rule of our actions would then] be, to live as long, and to enjoy as much of the world as we can. But the Chriftian Religion will not in many cafes allow of this, and there'fore is no religion for this world, were there not another world to follow-How many reftraints doth the Chriftian Religion lay on us, to leffen the pleasures and fatisfactions of this life? It teaches us a great indifferency to all the things of this world; but how unreasonable is that, if this world be our only place of happi'nets?-It commands us to mortify our fenfual appetites, to crucify our flesh with its affections and lufts, to live above the pleafures of the body, 'to pluck out our right eyes, to cut off our right 'hands: but what reafon can there be to deny ourfelves any of thefe enjoyments, as far as is 'confiftent with preferving our health and prolonging our lives, if we have no expectations after death? Nay, if men are contented to live a fhort and a merry life, what hurt is there in it, if death puts an end to them?-It forbids earthly pride and ambition, an affectation of fecular honours and power: But why must we 'fubmit to meannefs and contempt in this world, if this be the only scene of action we shall ever be concerned in? For a mean and base spirit is no virtue; and for the fame reafon it can be no virtue to be contented with a low fortune, to be 'patient under fufferings, which, if they never 'will be rewarded, is to be patiently miserable, ' and

and that is ftupidity and folly: But to have our conversation in heaven, to live upon the hopes of unfeen things, is madness and diftraction, if there be no heaven, no unfeen things for us The reafons of moft of the Evangelical commands must be fetched wholly from the other • world, and a future judgment.'

Bp. Wilkins, Princ. of Nat. Rel. p. 67. If there be no fuch thing to be expected as happinafs or mifery hereafter, why then the only • business that men are to take care of, is their • present well-being in this world: There being nothing to be counted either good or bad, but • in order to that: Those things, which we conceive to be conduceable to it, being the only duties; ❝ and all other things, which are crofs to it, the only fins. And therefore, whatever a man's appetite thall incline him to, he ought not to " deny himself in it (be the thing what it will) fo he can have it, or do it, without probable 6 danger. Suppofe it be mater of gain or profit, he is difpofed to; if he can cheat or fteal fecurely, this will be fo far from being a fault, that it is plainly his duty; that is, reafonable for him to do; becaufe it is a proper means to promote his chief end. And fo for other cafes ' of anger, hatred, revenge, &c. According to this principle, a man muft take the first opportunity of fatisfying thefe paffions by doing any 'kind of mifchief to the perfon he is offended. * with, whether by falfe accufation, or perjury, or (if need be) by poifoning or ftabbing him; ⚫ provided he can do these things fo as to escape the fupicion of others, and human penalties." VOL. II.

Dr.