NIGHT THE SEVENTH.

BEING

THE SECOND PART

OF

THE INFIDEL RECLAIMED.

CONTAINING

THE NATURE, PROOF, AND IMPORTANCE, OF IMMORTALITY.

PREFACE.

S we are at war with the power, it were well if

As we are at war with the panters, of France. Af

land of levity is a land of guilt. A ferious mind is the native foil of every virtue; and the fingle character that does true honour to mankind. The foul's immortality has been the favourite theme with the ferious of all ages. Nor is it strange; it is a fubject by far the most interefting, and important, that can enter the mind of man. Of highest moment this fubject always was and always will be. Yet this its highest moment feems to admit of increafe, at this day; a fort of occafional importance is fuperadded to the natural weight of it; if

that

that opinion which is advanced in the preface to the preceding Night, be juft. It is there fuppofed, that all our infidels, whatever scheme, for argument's fake, and to keep themselves in countenance, they patronize, are betrayed into their deplorable error, by fome doubts 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 diftrust of a futurity is a ftrange error; yet it is an error into which bad men may naturally be diftreffed. For it is impoffible to bid defiance to final ruin, without fome refuge in imagination, some prefumption of escape. And what prefumption is there? There are but two in nature; but two, within the compafs of human thought. And these are That either God will not, or can not punish. Confidering the divine attributes, the first is too grofs to be digefted by our ftrongest wishes. And fince omnipotence is as much a divine attribute as holiness, that God cannot punish, is as abfurd a fuppofition, as the former. God certainly can punish as long as wicked men exift. In non-existence, therefore, is their only refuge; and, confequently, non-existence is their ftrongest wish. And ftrong wishes have a ftrange influence on our opinions; they bias the judgment in a manner, almoft, incredible. And fince on this member of their alternative, there are fome very small appearances in their favour, and none at all on the other, they catch at this reed, they lay hold on this chimæra, to fave themfelves from the fhock and horror of an immellate and abfolute despair.

On

On reviewing my fubject, by the light which this argument, and others of like tendency, threw upon it, I was more inclined than ever to purfue it, as it appeared to me to ftrike 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 alfo the writer has made an attempt to fet the grofs abfurdities and horrors of annihilation in a fuller and more affecting view, than is (I think) to be met with elsewhere.

The gentlemen, for whofe fake this attempt was chiefly made, profefs great admiration for the wisdom of heathen antiquity: what pity it is they are not fincere! If they were fincere, how would it mortify them to confider, with what contempt and abhorrence their notions would have been received by those whom they fo 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, difpaffionate, and compofed: yet this great master of temper was angry; and angry at his laft hour; and angry with his friend; and angry for what deferved acknowledgement; angry for a right and tender inftance of true friendship towards him. Is not this furprizing? What could be the caufe? The caufe was for his honour; it was a truly noble, though, perhaps, a too punctilious, regard for immortality: for his friend

afking him, with fuch an affectionate concern as became a friend, "Where he should depofit his remains?" it was refented by Socrates, as implying a dishonourable fuppofition, that he could be fo mean, as to have a regard for any thing, even in himself, that was not immortal.

This fact well confidered would make our infidels withdraw their admiration from Socrates; or make them endeavour, by their imitation of this illuftrious example, to share his glory: and, confequently, it would incline them to perufe the following pages withcandour and impartiality: which is all I defire; and that, for their fakes: for I am perfuaded, that an unprejudiced infidel muft, neceffarily, receive fome advantageous impreffions from them.

July 7, 1744.

VOL. II.

M

CON

CONTENTS OF THE SEVENTH NIGHT.

IN

'N the fixth Night arguments were drawn, from Nature, in proof of immortality: here, others are drawn from Man: from his Difcontent, Ver. 29; from his Paffions and Powers, 64; from the gradual growth of Reafon, 81; from his fear of Death, 86; from the nature of Hope, 104, and of Virtue, 139, &c. from Knowledge and Love, as being the moft effential properties of the foul, 253; from the Order of Creation, 290, &c. from the nature of Ambition; 337, &c. Avarice, 460; Pleafure, 477; a digreffion on the grandeur of the Paffions, 521. Immortality alone renders our prefent ftate intelligible, 545. An objection from the Stoics disbelief of immortality answered, 585. Endlefs queftions unrefolvable, but on fuppofition of our immortality, 606. The natural, most melancholy, and pathetic complaint of a worthy man, under the perfuafion of no futurity, 653, &c. The grofs abfurdities and horrors of annihilation urged home on Lorenzo, 842, &c. The foul's vast importance, 990, &c. from whence it arifes, 1078. The Difficulty of being an infidel, 1131, the Infamy, 1148, the Cause, 1183, and the Character, 1203, of an infidel ftate. What true free-thinking is, 1217. The neceffary punishment of the falfe, 1271. Man's ruin is from himself, 1303. An infidel accufes himself of guilt, and hypocrify; and that of the worft fort, 1319. His obligation to Chrif tians, 1337- What danger he incurs by Virtue, 1345. Vice recommended to him, 1364. His high pretences to Virtue and Benevolence, exploded, 1373. The conclufion, on the nature of Faith, 1427. Reafon, 1439; and Hope, 1443; with an apology for this attempt, 1470.