A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

Answ. Alas poor wretch! Art thou at that pass! Hast thou so far lost the Knowledge of God, and of thy self, and of thy end and business here, and of the word and works of God, as to turn worse then Jew, or Turk, or Heathen, even to think thy self a beast, that hath no life nor happiness but this? If this be thy case, I cannot now stand to deal with thee according to thy necessity. I am now dealing with them that confess a Life hereafter: And because we cannot in all our writings repeat over the same things, I desire thee to peruse what I have already written for such as thee, in the Second Part of The Saints Rest, and in a Treatise called The unreasonableness of Infidelity; and at present take only some brief advertisements for thy conviction.

Answ. Alas poor wretch! Art thou at that pass! Hast thou so far lost the Knowledge of God, and of thy self, and of thy end and business here, and of the word and works of God, as to turn worse then Jew, or Turk, or Heathen, even to think thy self a beast, that hath no life nor happiness but this? If this be thy case, I cannot now stand to deal with thee according to thy necessity. I am now dealing with them that confess a Life hereafter: And because we cannot in all our writings repeat over the same things, I desire thee to peruse what I have already written for such as thee, in the Second Part of The Saints Rest, and in a Treatise called The unreasonableness of Infidelity; and at present take only some brief advertisments for thy conviction.

1. And first, whereas you say you are not sure of a Life hereafter, I demand of you, Whether you are sure that there is no such life? I am sure you are not. If you think you are, (which none but a debauched man can think, that hath put out the eye of Natural Light) let us hear your Proof, and you shall soon be told the vanity of it. But if you are not sure that there is no such life, then I would know of you, Whether a Possibility of such Everlasting things deserve not greater care and diligence then is used by the Holyest Saint on earth? You say, You are not sure that there is a Heaven for Saints. But what if it prove true, (as nothing more true) will you sit still, and lose it for you know not what? or for want of a little care in seeking it? You say, You know not whether there be a Hell for ungodly men, or no: But what if it prove true (as certainly it will) where are you then? Will you venture your selves upon the Possibility of such an Endless Loss and Torment, which now you might on reasonable terms escape? You will confess that a Possibility of a Kingdom should be more regarded, then a Certainty of a pin or a feather: And a Possibility of some Tormenting disease but for twenty years, should more carefully be avoided then the Certain stinging of a Nettle.