The Folly of Atheism Demonstrated, Imprimatur – Preface
Imprimatur,
August 14. 1691. Geo. Royse, R. R. in Christo Patri, ac Domino Domino Iohanni Archiepisc. Cant. à Sac. Dom.
THE FOLLY OF ATHEISM, DEMONSTRATED, TO THE CAPACITY OF THE Most Unlearned Reader. By CLEMENT ELIS, Rector of Kirkby, A M. and Author of the Gentile Sinner.
Psal. XIV. 1. LIII. 1. The Fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
Quocunque te flexeris, ibi Deum videbis occurrentem tibi. Sen. de Benef.
LONDON: Printed, and are to be Sold by William Rogers at the Sun over-against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet, and Thomas Elis in Mansfield. 1692.
THE PREFACE.
WHAT the design of this plain Discourse is, I need not tell any one that reads and understands the Title of it; for by that he may see, that my business therein, is to make it plain to every one that can understand Reason, That it is a very foolish thing for one to persuade himself, that there is no GOD. Whether I have done this or no, is a question which I am not concerned to answer any otherwise, than by desiring him that asks it, seriously to read and consider the whole Discourse; and when he hath done so, laying aside all Prejudice and Partiality, to answer it to himself. If he will not be at this pains, I cannot help it; but as I heartily Bless Almighty GOD, who hath enabled me to do it to my own full satisfaction, so I most humbly beseech his Divine Majesty, that all who are not satisfied with what is here done, may not fail to find all that satisfaction elsewhere, which they do not meet with here.
If any one shall slight this Discourse, as a thing wholly needless; although he grant it to be convincing, and to prove the thing which I have undertaken to prove: I say in the First place, That I could heartily wish, that it were indeed as needless, as he thinks it to be. Nothing should make me more glad, than to be well assured, that I have lost my Labour, upon no other account but this, That no man is in danger of losing his GOD through Unbelief. But in the Next place, I must say also, That I fear he is mistaken. For if this Discourse be Needless, supposing withal that it be Convincing, it must be for one of these Two Reasons: Either First, because all men do already Believe that there is a GOD; and therefore all Discourses on this Subject are needless. Or, Secondly, Because there is enough already written by others to persuade men into this Belief, and therefore this Discourse is needless.
He that for the former of these Two Reasons, thinks not only this, but all Discourses tending to persuade men to believe there is a GOD, to be needless; seems to me too little to consider how most men Live in the World. It is a very sad and uncomfortable thing to be thought on; but alas! a thing every where too visible, That very many persons both high and low, behave themselves in all their ways so irreligiously and regardlesly of GOD, and of his Holy Laws, that one can hardly imagine how they could, did they on purpose …t themselves to do it, give the World any clearer proof that they have not any sense of GOD, than now they do. The abounding of all sorts of Wickedness and Prophaneness; and the great indulgence people give every where to themselves in all manner of vice and vanity; their deriding of serious Piety, mocking at a conscienciousstrictness and regularity of life, and even glorying in their own sins, which they know to be against the plainest laws of GOD, and threatned by him, with no less than Eternal Damnation; seem to me a most evident sign, That men do not really believe that there is a GOD. The transgression of the wicked (saith the Psalmist, (Psal. 36. 1.) saith within my heart, that there is no fear of GOD before his eyes. And whence should it proceed that men fear not GOD, but hence; That either they are not throughly convinced, that there is a GOD to be feared: Or they understand so little of GOD, or what GOD is, that they know not for what he is to be feared; and therefore (as 'tis said, Psal. 10. 13.) they contemn GOD?
'Tis true indeed, that there are not many among us who do openly deny that there is a GOD; or who will not say, that they believe there is one. But 'tis as true also, that of many of these who make this Profession, we may use the words of St. Paul, Tit. 1. 16. They profess that they know GOD, but in works they deny him; being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. In rehearsing the Articles of the Christian Faith, every one of us saith for himself—I believe in GOD. But how many of us unsay it again in our unchristian and ungodly Conversation? Our Works do much trulier speak the sense of our hearts, than our Words are wont to do. Shew me thy Faith without thy Works, and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works. So St. James challengeth him, that would needs be thought to have a Christian Faith, whilst he observed not the Laws of GOD. We may well say the same to every one that professeth to believe there is a GOD, and yet leads an ungodly Life. If our hearts and tongues do well agree, when we say we believe there is a GOD, it seems one of the hardest things in the World to conceive, how our Lives should so much disagree with them both. If we did really believe what we say we believe, one would think, we should be more afraid, than we are, of living so unanswerably to our Belief; and more ashamed, than we are of living so unagreeably to our Profession.
If a man would demonstrate to the world, That he doth but Dissemble and Lye, when he saith he believes, That there is a GOD; by what other way could he do this, than by living a Wicked Life? And why then should we not be convinced of it, that this Profession of his is indeed a Lye, when he proves it to us, as well as such a thing can be proved? He lives and acts in all things, as pleaseth his own Humour and Lust; he behaves himself as one that owns no Superior Power to restrain him from doing wickedly; be breaks all the Laws of GOD and Man as far as he hath a Mind and Strength enough to do it; he seems impatient of living any longer than he may be his own Master, or have the liberty to serve the Flesh; He takes all liberty that he can get, and doth as wickedly as he dare, for fear of men; he regards nothing (besides his temporal safety) but his own Will and Pleasure: And after all this, what clearer Demonstration can he give us, That he doth not believe there is a GOD, whom he is bound to serve?
And now if this be true, I am sure there is much need of Discourses against Atheism. Wickedness of all sorts did never more abound nor Triumph in the World, than now it doth: And therefore there never was more need of a Reformation of mens Lives and Manners, than now there is: But in vain are all Endeavours to that purpose, so long as men do not believe that there is a GOD over them, to whom they owe a Duty, and are accountable for their whole behaviour. Till men be convinced of this, tho they may possibly by force be kept from doing some sorts of Evil, they can never be Reformed, or persuaded to be good. But if they may once be throughly convinced of this, it may also be hoped, That they may be persuaded to account it both their Duty and their Interest to live a godly life; and (as St. Paul speaks, Col. I. 10.) To walk worthy of GOD unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work.
But supposing such Discourses needful, yee (will some say) what need was there of this, sceing there are already so many both larger and learneder on the same subject? In answer to this, I have no more to say, but these things. First, I do very readily, and with all due thankfulness, both to GOD, and the learned Authors, acknowledg, That there be many both larger and learneder Discourses on this subiect than this is. But Secondly, even for this very Reason, that they are so large and learned, they are the less serviceable to that sort of People, for whose use this is principally design'd. As men of strong Reason and good Learning, can make good use of long and learned Discourses; and receive much benefit by them; So men of weak Understandings, and of little or no Learning, stand in need of short and plain Discourses, such as they can from their necessary Business get time to read; and such, as reading, they are able to Understand: For their sake it is, that I publish this; and therefore have I used as great plainness of Expression in it as possibly I could; and yet I am very sure of it, no more than is needful to make them understand it. No man can deny but such people ought to live Religiously, as well as others; and therefore ought to be well grounded in the first Principles of Religion. And they must be taught in such a way as they are able to learn, is we design to teach them any thing; and therefore in teaching them, we must use both such Arguments, and such Language, as are not too hard for them; or we lose our labour, and they all the benefit they should reap by it.
If this be not enough to excuse me, at least, for Publishing this Discourse, and for Writing it too, with so much plainness, as, if I be not deceiv'd, I have done: I will only add this, That I had rather be blamed for being impertinent by them, who either need it not themselves, or see not the need that others have of it; than bear the rebuke of my own Conscience, for not doing, what I am verily persuaded to be very needful, in the best manner I could do it; tho not half so well as another might have done it.