The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

§. 16. XVI. If there were no life of retribution after this, it would follow, that man is more to be feared and obeyed than God, and so hath the far greater and higher hand in the Moral Government of the world: But the consequent is absurd and blasphemous: Ergo, so is the Antecedent.

The argument is clear and past all contradiction. The reason of the Major or consequence, is, Because (though God can destroy any wicked man at his pleasure, yet) all the world's experience showeth us, that ordinarily in this life he doth no such things: If a strange judgment overtake some wicked man, it is an unusual thing, and next to a miracle: And usually all things come alike to all; the good and the bad die of the same disease:¹ the deceitful and the wicked prosper in the world as much as others; if either suffer more, usually it is the best. Videtis quam prospera navigatio à Diis datur sacrilegis, saith Dionysius. Thunder-bolts strike so few, that it is scarce rational much to fear them. If one fall under some extraordinary judgement, many hundred scape.

The argument is clear and past all contradiction. The reason of the Major or consequence, is, Because (though God can destroy any wicked man at his pleasure, yet) all the world's experience sheweth us, that ordinarily in this life he doth no such things: If a strange judgment overtake some wicked man, it is an unusual thing, and next to a miracle: And usually all things come alike to all; the good and the bad die of the same disease:¹ the deceitful and the wicked prosper in the world as much as others; if either suffer more, usually it is the best. Videtis quam prospera navigatio à Diis datur sacrilegis, saith Dionysius. Thunder-bolts strike so few, that it is scarce rational much to fear them. If one fall under some extraordinary judgement, many hundred scape.

1. 1Laert. in Timon. saith, That Philatchus the Historian reporteth of Praylus the Philosopher, that he was of so constant a mind, that he suffered himself to be unjustly executed as a Traitor, and would not use one word of supplication for his life: But that's not the common temper of Mankind. Alta spectare si voles, atque hanc sedem & aeternam domum contueri; neque sermonibus vulgi te dederis, nec in praemiis humanis spem posueris rerum tuarum: sois re illecebris oportet ipsa virtus tr hat ad verum decus. Cic. in Somn. Scip.