But we do not yet fay enough; these Difficulties are greater in the Atheist's Hypothefis than in ours: We do not affirm, that the Eternity of God is fucceffive, but Atheists make the duration of the World Succeffive. But as in all Succeffion of Duration, we may reckon by Months, Years, Ages, &c. it follows from hence, that if Eternity be Succeffive, it includes an Infinity of Ages; and an Infinite Succeffion of Ages, can never be exhausted or run out; that is, we can never fee an end of it; because if it fhould once be exhaufted, it would be no more infinite. From whence we conclude, that if the duration of the World had been fucceffively Eternal, or that an infinite Succeffion of Ages must have paffed fince the World fubfisted, it would be impoffible, that it should have reacht to this present time; because that could not be done, without paffing through an infinite diftance; and an infinite diftance cannot be past through, because it would be then both infinite and not infinite. Who therefore is able to folve this difficulty which swallows up all our Thoughts and our Conceptions?

We may further alledge, that infinite greatnefs or fmallness, is liable to greater Difficulties than infinite perfection: For who can conceive the end of Extenfion, or the utmost term of Division? Or if we must needs acknowledge an unlimited Extenfion, and an infinite Divisibility, who can falve the terrible Difficulties that arife from that Principle? If, for Example, when we divide the Globe we inhabit, from thofe immenfe Spaces that incompass it, we believe that those Spaces ftill continue infinite; it follows, that I can augment Infinity; fince to

those

thofe unlimited Spaces, I can add our Globe, which I had before divided from it by Thought; and fo there will be fomething that is both finite and infinite all at once. And if thofe Spaces which I divide from the Earth remain finite, it follows that Two Finites, viz. The Earth, and thofe Spaces joyned together, make an Infinite ; which is no lefs contrary to Reason.

What answer will they make to those that demand whether there be an actual infinity of Parts in a Ball of Wax? It is certainly capable of Division to Infinity, and fo clearly demonstrated to be fo by Geometry, that a Man must be one of another World to offer to dispute it. And if it be infinitely divisible, it is divisible into an infinity of Parts; and if it may be divided into an infinity of Parts, thofe Parts cannot be one and the fame thing, for then they could never be divided: And if that Ball may be divided into an infinity of Parts, which tho well joyned together, are not for all that, the fame thing; it will follow, that there is in that Lump of Wax, an infinite number of Parts actually diftinct, though they are not actually divided. In the mean time, if you increase the bulk of that Wax, with an addition of new Matter to it, you must undoubtedly increase the number of Parts which you have fuppofed to be infinite, and to which confequently you have affirmed, that nothing could be fuperadded; and thus the very fame Number is Infinite, and not Infinite.

So then laying afide all thofe Mysteries of Nature which exercife the Minds of Natural Philofophers, fuch as the Ebbing and flowing of the Sea, the Vertue of the Load-ftone, the Prin

ciple of Meteors, the Production of Plants, the Formation of Animals, &c. and all the Phenomena which Men are wholly ignorant of, or know but very imperfectly, and upon which the Wit of Man is continually framing Difficulties, in infinitum, we need only confider the Two most undetermined and general Attributes of Matter, to fhew that the Spirit of Man has but a narrow Sphere of Action, and foon finds it self stopt in its courfe, and furrounded with unfathomable Depths and impenetrable Difficulties, when it goes about to reafon upon every Object that prefents it felf to it.

Nay, it is further manifeft, that as foon as ever we have renounced the Truth of the Existence of God, we are ftopt and embarassed in our Enquiries, not only by those Difficulties common to all Men, but also by abundance of others which spring immediately from Atheism. Every thing becomes a Riddle, every thing is Paradox, or rather every thing is turned upfide down in our Ideas. The greatest Light is to us the most dismal Obfcurity. We are a Thousand times more confounded by the Wisdom which appears in the Universe, than we should be by the greatest irregularity and diforder. What we find done there with the greatest shew of Reafon, makes us in fome manner lofe our own Reason, when we no longer acknowledge a God, because we have then no principle at all to af. cribe all those wonders to.

Is it not therefore the highest pitch of Folly and irregular thinking, to comprehend nothing in Natural Knowledge, and at the fame time to pretend to comprehend every thing in Religion; to reject the general Opinion of all

other

other Men, under pretence of not wholly comprehending it, and embrace another that includes a great many more Difficulties, and more incomprehenfible Objects; to complain of not being throughly acquainted with the Designs and Perfections of a Being, fuppofed to be infinite in Perfection and Wisdom, and at the fame time to be ignorant of fuch things as are most proportioned to the Capacity of Man, and feem to be of a Nature and Condition inferior to his; to quit an Opinion upon account of those very Difficulties which are the fame, but far greater in the Atheists Hypothefis, and fuch as admitted, change our fureft and leaft fufpected Notions into an inexplicable confufion, and profound Darknefs? 'Tis indeed, juft as if one should pull out ones Eyes, in order to fee the bet

ter.

Our Reasons are all taken from what we comprehend, whereas the Atheists have theirs from what they do not understand. We have as many proofs of the truth of our Opinion, as there are things which fhew us any Characters of Wifdom. The Atheists on the contrary, have no reasons to alledge for theirs, but what may be reduced to thefe Two general ones, I do not fee, I do not comprehend God: As if this neceffary difproportion which there is between their Soul and the Supream Being, could form any allowable Prejudice in their Favour: As if this very difproportion, were not the most Essential Character of a Deity fovereignly exalted. If you admit of the Reasons of the Atheists, they will oblige you to call in queftion the Existence of Matter, as well as make you doubt of the Existence of God. But if you suppose the Existence of Matter,

yo

you have answered the principal Objections of those that attack the Existence of God.

CHAP. XVIII.

Wherein we shall conclude this Section, by examining whether there be truly and properly Speaking any fuch thing as an Atheist.

T is no difficult matter, after what has been

Faid, to decide that famous Question, viz.

Whether there be any Real Acheifts in the World, or whether it be poffible there should be any.

nor

We answer in one Word, that there are fuch as are Arbeifts in their Heart, but there cannot be any that are so in their Understanding. For we learn both from Experience and Reason, that our Paffions do eagerly embrace thofe Objects and Opinions which favour them moft; it can"efore be thought ftrange, if they take Understanding from the confideration of fs of a Deity, from the Contemplation Works, or at least from the Characters tnefs and Wisdom to be feen in them; by fufpending the Enquiries of our Unanding, by breaking off its Reflections when ey are not favourable to them, and fixing it trongly 1 the Doubts that feem to make form fuch an Habit of Incredumay reasonably enough be called the Heart.

The