PART II. THE INFIDEL RECLAIMED. CONTAINING THE NATURE, PROOF, AND IMPORTANCE OF IMMORTALITY PREFACE. As we are at war with the power, it were well if we were at war with the manners of France. A land of levity is a land of guilt. A serious mind is the native soil of every virtue, and the single character that does true honour to mankind. The soul's immortality has been the favourite theme with the serious of all ages. Nor is it strange: it is a subject by far the most interesting and important that can enter the mind of man. Of highest moment this subject always was, and always will be yet this its highest moment seems to admit of increase at this day; a sort of occasional importance is superadded to the natural weight of it, if that opinion which is advanced in the Preface to the preceding Night be just. It is there supposed that all our Infidels (whatever scheme, for argument's sake, and to keep themselves in countenance, they patronize) are betrayed into their deplorable error by some doubt of their immortality at the bottom: and the more I consider this point, the more I am persuaded of the truth of that opinion. Though the distrust of a futurity is a strange error, yet it is an error into which bad men may naturally be distressed; for it is impossible to bid defiance to final ruin, without some refuge in imagination, some presumption of escape. And what presumption is there? there are but two in Nature; but two within the compass of human thought; and these are, -That either God will not or cannot punish. Considering the divine attributes, the first is too gross to be digested by our strongest wishes; and, since Omnipotence is as much a divine attribute as Holiness, that God cannot punish is as absurd a supposition as the former. God certainly can punish, as long as wicked men exist. In nonexistence, therefore, is their only refuge; and, consequently, nonexistence is their strongest wish; and strong wishes have a strange influence on our opinions; they bias the judgment in a manner almost incredible. And since, on this member of their alternative there are some very small appearances in their favour, and none at all on the other, they catch at this reed, they lay hold on this chimera, to save themselves from the shock and horror of an immediate and absolute despair. On reviewing my subject, by the light which this argument, and others of like tendency, threw upon it, I was more inclined than ever to pursue it, as it appeared to me to strike directly at the main root of all our infidelity. In the following pages it is, accordingly, pursued at large, and some arguments for immortality, new at least to me, are ventured on in them. There, also, the writer has made an attempt to set the gross absurdities and horrors of annihilation in a fuller and more affecting view than is (I think) to be met with elsewhere. The gentlemen for whose sake this attempt was chiefly made, profess great admiration for the wisdom of heathen antiquity: what pity it is they are not sincere! If they were sincere, how would it mortify them to consider with what contempt and abhorrence their notions would have been received by those whom they so much admire. What degree of contempt and abhorrence would fall to their share, may be conjectured by the following matter of fact (in my opinion,) extremely memorable. Of all their heathen worthies, Socrates (it is well known) was the most guarded, dispassionate, and composed; yet this great master of temper was angry, and angry at his last hour; and angry with his friend; and angry for what deserved acknowledgment; angry for a right and tender instance of true friendship towards him. Is not this surprising? what could be the cause ?-The cause was for his honour: It was a truly noble, though, perhaps, a too punctilious regard for Immortality: for his friend asking him, with such an affectionate concern as became a friend, 'Where he should deposit his remains?' it was resented by Socrates, as implying a dishonourable supposition, that he could be so mean as to have regard for any thing, even in himself, that was not iminortal. This fact, well considered, would make our infidels withdraw their admiration from Socrates, or make them endeavour, by their imitation of his illustrious example, to share his glory; and consequently, it would incline them to peruse the following with candour and impartiality: which is all I desire: and that, for their sakes: for I am persuaded that an unprejudiced infidel must, necessarily, receive some advantageous impressions from them. July 7, 1744. CONTENTS OF THE SEVENTH NIGHT. In the Night, arguments were drawn from Nature in proof of Iminality: here, others are drawn from Man; from his discontent, mom his passions and powers; from the gradual growth of reason from his fear of death; from the nature of hope, and of virtue; from knowledge and love, as being the most essential properties of the soul; from the order of creation; from the nature of ambition, avarice, pleasure.-A digression on the grandeur of the passions.-Immortality alone renders our present state intelligible.-An objection from the Stoics' disbelief of Immortality answered.-Endless questions unresolvable, but on supposition of our immortality.-The natural, most melancholy, and pathetic complaint of a worthy man, under the persuasion of no futurity. The gross absurdities and horrors of annihilation urged home on Lorenzo.-The soul's vast importance; from whence it arises, &c.-The difficulty of being an Infidel; the infamy; the cause; and the character of an infidel state.-What true free-thinking is; the necessary punishment of the false.Man's ruin is from himself.-An Infidel accuses himself of guilt and hypocrisy, and that of the worst sort; his obligations to Christians: what danger he incurs by virtue; vice recommended to him; his high pretences to virtue and benevolence exploded -The conclusion, on the nature of faith, reason, and hope; with an apology for this attempt. THE INFIDEL RECLAIMED. PART THE SECOND. HEAVEN gives the needful, but neglected call. 5 10 20 This, earth and skies* already have proclaim'd. 15 The world's a prophecy of worlds to come, And who, what God foretels (who speaks in things Still louder than in words) shall dare deny? If Nature's arguments appear too weak, Turn a new leaf, and stronger read in man. If man sleeps on, untaught by what he sees, Can he prove infidel to what he feels? He, whose blind thought futurity denies, Unconscious bears, Bellerophon! like thee, His own indictment; he condemns himself: Who reads his bosom, reads immortal life; Or Nature there, imposing on her sons, Has written fabies: man was made a lie. * See Night the Sixth. 225 25 Why discontent for ever harbour'd there? He whom sea-sever'd realms obey, and he In fate so distant, in complaint so near?' To share their sweet serene. Man, ill at ease Sighs on for something more, when most enjoy'd. 45 In part remote; for that remoter part Man bleats from instinct, though, perhaps, debauch'd And discontent is immortality! Shall sons of Ether, shall the blood of Heaven, 55 60 Our heads, our hearts, our passions, and our powers, Speak the same language; call us to the skies: Unripen'd these, in this inclement clime, Scarce rise above conjecture and mistake; 65 |