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against these Temptations will appear, in the Second Place, when we confider the Danger there is in listening to these Inftructors.

And here I can only fpeak to such as have not yet made fhipwreck of Reason and Conscience: For, though the hardened Unbelievers are in the greatest Danger, yet they are fartheft removed from the Power of Conviction: Nor will they perceive what Miseries they lay up in ftore for themselves, till they come to take poffeffion of their fad Inheritance; and then they will have but too much Time, and too many Calls, to reflect upon the wretched Choice they made. But, as for you, who have not yet renounced

your God and Redeemer; you espe

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cially, whofe eafy Fortunes, or flourishing Years, expofe you to the Temptations of crafty Sinners; give me leave to expoftulate this Cafe with all the Seriousness the Subject requires: And furely this is a ferious Matter, and deserves your coolest Thoughts and Reflections. It is an unpardonable Folly and inexcufable Perverfenefs for Men to forfake Religion out of Vanity and Oftentation; as if Irreligion were a Mark of Honour, and a noble Diftinctio from the

reft of Mankind. To fear, wi

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true Caufe of Fear, where our Souls and our eternal Happiness are at ftake, is not below the Dignity of a Man. To out-brave God and his Juftice is a fad Inftance of Courage: And Men, who fin through fuch ridiculous Vanity, may value themselves for their Bravery in defpifing the Fears, and their Wisdom in deriding the Weakness of Religion, and expofing the Faith and Credulity of Men; but perhaps a little Time, a very little Time, may fhew them what learned Pains they take to dispute themfelves into Hell. We must answer for the Vanity of our Reasoning, as well as for the Vanity of our Actions: And, if we take Pains to invent vain Reasoning to oppose to the plain Evidences that God has afforded us of his Being and Power, and to undermine the Proofs and Authorities upon which Religion ftands, we may be sure we shall not go unpunished for fo notable an Abuse of fo rich a Talent entrusted with us by God: Much more, if we debafe Reason, which was given us to be the governing Principle of our Lives, and force it to fubmit and follow our unruly Paffions and Affections, much more shall we be liable to the Vengeance of Heaven.

How

How far Men of irreligious Lives and Principles are chargeable with these Abuses, they can beft inform themselves: And furely the Hopes of Immortality, and Fears of Hell, fhould compose them to fo much Seriousness, as to ask themselves that Queftion. But, after all, if, upon a View of the whole Matter, and of the Evidences that Reason and Revelation afford us of a future State, they will not fubmit to the Doctrines and Precepts of Religion, they must be left to the Event for a fuller Demonftration of their Folly. If there be really a future State of Rewards and Punishments, both the Punishments and the Rewards must be very inconfiderable indeed not to make it worth a Man's while to live up to the Conditions of being happy. So that, when the Dispute is concerning the Folly of Irreligion, we may remit a great deal of the Truth in allowing the Punishment to be lefs than really it is, and the Argument will still have Force enough to convince Irreligion of Folly. The Punishment in all Cases must exceed the Advantage the Offender will reap by tranfgrefling the Law; or else, as much as the Gain to be reaped by breaking the Law exceeds the Punishment annexed to

the Breach, fo much Encouragement there will be for Men to offend. Therefore we

may be fure that God, who is the wifeft of Lawgivers, has taken fuch Care to guard his Laws and Statutes, that there fhall be no Encouragement for Offenders. Upon which Account we may affure ourselves, that, let the Pleasures and Advantages of Sin and Irreligion be ever fo numerous or great, the Punishment shall still be greater: So that Men shall fay, when they are to pay the Price of their Sins, they have finned exceeding foolishly. Wicked Men spend their Time to no purpose in disputing against the Punishments of Sin, which are revealed to us; I mean, against the Nature of them: For, if they once allow that Sin and Wickedness. fhall be punished, their own Reason will inform them that the Punishment must at least be so great, as to make it worth a Man's while to abstain from Sin. So that all Sinners must be guilty of Folly in chufing the Sin with the Punishment, when the Punishment muft of Neceffity exceed the Advantage of finning.

These are the easiest Terms that Sinners can flatter themselves with; and yet, even upon this View, the Pleafures of Sin will VOL. III. prove

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prove a dear Bargain. But fhould the Punishments of another Life be, what we have but too much Reason to fear they will be, what Words can then express the Folly of Sin? Short are your Days in this World, and foon they fhall expire: And should Religion at laft prove a mere Deceit, we know the worst of it; it is an Error for which we cannot fuffer after Death: Nor will the Infidels there have the Pleafure to reproach us with our Mistake; they and we, in equal Rest, shall sleep the Sleep of Death. But should our Hopes, and their Fears, prove true; fhould they be fo unhappy, as not to die for ever; which miferable Hope is the only Comfort that Infidelity affords; what Pains and Torments muft they then undergo? Could I reprefent to you the different States of good and bad Men: Could I give you the Prospect which the bleffed Martyr St. Stephen had, and shew you, the bleffed Jefus at the right Hand of God, furrounded with Angels, and the Spirits of juft Men måde perfect: Could I open your Ears to hear the never-ceafing Hymns of Praife, which the Bleffed above fing to Him that was, and is, and is to come; to the Lamb that was flain, but liveth for ever: Could

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