asily become Vicious; which when once
they are, the Remorse of their Consciences bringing them to desire
that there should be no future Reckoning for their Actions; and even
that there should be no God to take any cognizance of them; they often
come (in some degree at least) to be perswaded both of the one, and
the other of these. And thus, many times, there are but a few steps
between a Zealous Bigot, and an Infidel to all Religion.

_Scepticism,_ or rather _Infidelity,_ is the proper Disease our Age,
and has proceeded from divers Causes: But be the remoter or original
ones what they will, it could never have prevail'd as it has done, had
not Parents very generally contributed thereto, either her by
negligence of their Children's Instruction; or Instructing them very
ill in respect of Religion.

It might indeed seem strange to one who had no experience of Mankind,
that People (however neglected in their Education) could, when they
came to years of Judgment, be to such a degree wanting to themselves,
as not to seek right Information concerning Truths of so great Moment
to them not to be Ignorant of, or mistaken in, as are those of
Religion. Yet such is the wretched Inconsideration Natural to most
Men, that (in fact) it is no uncommon thing at all to see Men live day
after day, in the pursuit of their Inclinations, without ever exerting
their Reason to any other purpose than the gratification of their
Passions; and no wonder can it then be if they give in to the belief,
or take up with a blind Perswasion of such Opinions as they see to be
most in Credit; and which will also the best suit their turn?

_Absolute Atheism_ does no doubt the best serve Their's, who live as
if there was no God in the World; but how far so great Non-sense as
this, has been able to obtain, is not easie to say: downright Atheism
being what but few Men will own. To me it appears (in that Those who
will expose themselves to argue against the Existence of a God, do
rarely venture to produce any Hypothesis of their own to be fairly
examin'd and compar'd with that which they reject: But that their
opposition to a Deity, consists only in Objections which may as well
be retorted upon themselves, and which at best prove nothing but the
shortness of Humane Understanding) to me, I say, it appears from hence
probable that the greatest part of Atheistick Reasoners, do rather
desire, and seek to be Atheists, than that in reality they are so.
Men, who are a