The Existence of God and the Immortality of the Soul, Title page – Preface
Considerations OF THE Existence of GOD, AND OF THE Immortality of the Soul, With the Recompences of the future state: For the Cure of INFIDELITY, the Hectick Evil of the Times.
By William Bates, D. D.
foreign.
Plat. in Phileb.
LONDON, Printed by J. D. for Brabazon Aylmer, at the three Pigeons, over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhil, 1676.
THE PREFACE.
THE usual Method whereby the Enemy of Mankind trains so many into his bloody snares, is by enticing the lower Faculties, the Senses, the Fancy, the Passions, to prevail upon the Will and Mind, and accordingly his motives are pleasure or pain that affect us from sensible things. But on the contrary, the great Lover of Souls first inlightens the Understanding to discover what is the most excellent Good, what the most pernicious Evil, and by that discovery moves the Will to pursue the one, and fly from the other, and so descends to work upon the Affections and Senses, that with readiness they follow the direction and command of the Superior Powers in Man. These Objects being Spiritual and future, and therefore rais'd above the highest Regions of Sense, are only apprehended and become effectual by the evidence of Faith. As the Spartan in Plutarch after trying many ways to set a Carcass upright in a living posture, and finding that all his Endeavours were vain, it was so suddenly discompos'd, the head sinking into the bosom, the hands falling, and all the parts in disorder, concluded something was wanting within, that is the living Soul, without which the Body has no strength to support it self. Thus the most convincing Reasons, prest with the greatest vehemence of Affection, all the Powers of the World to come are of no Efficacy upon those who have not Faith, the vital Principle of all Heavenly Operations.
We live in an Infidel Age wherein wickedness reigns with Reputation. The thoughts of the Mind are discovered by the current of the Actions. Were there a serious belief of the great Judgment, and the terrible Eternity that follows, it were not possible for Men to sin so freely, and go on in a War so desperate against God himself. Sensuality and Infidelity are Elements of a Symbolical quality, and by an easie alteration are chang'd into one another. Fleshly Lusts darken the Mind and render it unfit to take a distinct view of things Sublime and Spiritual. They hinder serious consideration, (especially of what may trouble the Conscience) by their impetuous Disorders. And which is the worst effect, the corrupt Will bribes the Mind to argue for what it desires. 'Tis the interest of Carnalists to put out the eye of Reason, the prevision of things Eternal, that they may blindly follow the sensual appetite. Thus Epicurus with his herd (as *Epicuri de Grege Porcum. Hor.one of them stiles that Fraternity) denied the Immortality of the Soul, consonantly to his declared principle that the Supreme Happiness of Man consisted in the delights of Sense. And 'tis as natural that the disbelief of another state hereafter should strongly incline Men to follow their Licentious Pleasures. If the Soul, according to the impious fancy of those Infidels described in the Book of Wisdom, be a spark of Fire that preserves the vital heat for a little time, and gives motion to the Members, Vigor to the Senses, and Spirits for the Thoughts, but is quench'd in Death, and nothing remains but a wretched heap of Ashes, What preeminence has Man above a Beast? It follows therfore in the progress of their Reason 'tis equal to indulge their Appetites as the Beasts do. If what is immortal puts on mortality, the consequence is natural, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we must die.
Now though supernatural Revelation confirm'd by Miracles, and the continual accomplishment of Prophecies, has brought Life and Immortality into that open light, that the meanest Christian has a fuller and more certain evidence of it, than the clearest spirits of the Heathens ever had, yet because the weight of Authority is of no force with Libertines, 'tis necessary to argue from common Principles, which they cannot disavow. Indeed the Shield of Faith, and the Sword of the Spirit are our best Defence in the Holy War; but with the use of equal Arms, Reasons against Reasons, the cause of Religion will be victorious.
'Tis the design of the ensuing Treatise to discover by the light of Nature invisible objects, viz. that a Sovereign Spirit made and governs the sensible World, that there is an Immortal Soul in Man, and an Eternal state expects him hereafter. There is such a necessary Connexion between these Supreme Truths, The Being of God, and future Recompences to Men, that the denial of the one, includes the denial of the other. 'Tis uncertain which of the two is the first step, whether Men descend from the disbelief of the future state to Atheism, or from Atheism to Infidelity in that point.
Some excellent Persons have imployed their Talents on this Subject, from whom I have received advantage in compiling the present Work. I have been careful not to build upon false Arches, but on substantial Proofs, and to perswade Truth with Truth, as becoms a sincere Counsellor and well-willer to Souls. And if the secure Person will but attentively and impartially consider, he must be convinc'd that 'tis the only true Wisdom to believe and prevent, and not venture on the tryal of things in that state, where there is no other mending of the error, but an everlasting sorrow for it. Those whose Hearts are so irrecoverably depraved, that no motives can perswade to examine what so nearly touches them with calmness and sobriety, and their minds so fatally stupified that no Arguments can awaken, must miserably feel what they wilfully doubt of; whom the Light does not convince, the Fire shall.