Of Atheism

I HAD rather believe all the fables in the Leg-

end, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than

that this universal frame is without a mind.

And therefore, God never wrought miracle, to

convince atheism, because his ordinary works con-

vince it.  It is true, that a little philosophy inclineth

man's mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy

bringeth men's minds about to religion.  For while

the mind of man looketh upon second causes scat-

tered, it may sometimes rest in them, and go no

further; but when it beholdeth the chain of them,

confederate and linked together, it must needs fly

to Providence and Deity.  Nay, even that school

which is most accused of atheism doth most dem-

onstrate religion; that is, the school of Leucippus

and Democritus and Epicurus.  For it is a thousand

times more credible, that four mutable elements,

and one immutable fifth essence, duly and eter-

nally placed, need no God, than that an army of

infinite small portions, or seeds unplaced, should

have produced this order and beauty, without a

divine marshal.  The Scripture saith, The fool hath

said in his heart, there is no God; it is not said, The

fool hath thought in his heart; so as he rather saith

it, by rote to himself, as that he would have, than

that he can thoroughly believe it, or be persuaded

of it.  For none deny, there is a God, but those, for

whom it maketh that there were no God.  It ap-

peareth in nothing more, that atheism is rather in

the lip, than in the heart of man, than by this; that

atheists will ever be talking of that their opinion,

as if they fainted in it, within themselves, and

would be glad to be strengthened, by the consent

of others.  Nay more, you shall have atheists strive

to get disciples, as it fareth with other sects.  And,

which is most of all, you shall have of them, that

will suffer for atheism, and not recant; whereas if

they did truly think, that there were no such thing

as God, why should they trouble themselves? Epi-

curus is charged, that he did but dissemble for his

credit's sake, when he affirmed there were blessed

natures, but such as enjoyed themselves, without

having respect to the government of the world.

Wherein they say he did temporize; though in

secret, he thought there was no God.  But certainly

he is traduced; for his words are noble and divine:

Non deos vulgi negare profanum; sed vulgi opini-

ones diis applicare profanum.  Plato could have

said no more.  And although he had the confidence,

to deny the administration, he had not the power,

to deny the nature.  The Indians of the West, have

names for their particular gods, though they have

no name for God: as if the heathens should have

had the names Jupiter, Apollo, Mars, etc., but not

the word Deus; which shows that even those bar-

barous people have the notion, though they have

not the latitude and extent of it.  So that against

atheists, the very savages take part, with the very

subtlest philosophers.  The contemplative atheist is

rare: a Diagoras, a Bion, a Lucian perhaps, and

some others; and yet they seem to be more than

they are; for that all that impugn a received re-

ligion, or superstition, are by the adverse part

branded with the name of atheists.  But the great

atheists, indeed are hypocrites; which are ever

handling holy things, but without feeling; so as

they must needs be cauterized in the end.  The

causes of atheism are: divisions in religion, if they

be many; for any one main division, addeth zeal to

both sides; but many divisions introduce atheism.

Another is, scandal of priests; when it is come to

that which St. Bernard saith, non est jam dicere,

ut populus sic sacerdos; quia nec sic populus ut

sacerdos.  A third is, custom of profane scoffing in

holy matters; which doth, by little and little, de-

face the reverence of religion.  And lastly, learned

times, specially with peace and prosperity; for

troubles and adversities do more bow men's minds

to religion.  They that deny a God, destroy man's

nobility; for certainly man is of kin to the beasts,

by his body; and, if he be not of kin to God, by his

spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature.  It destroys

likewise magnanimity, and the raising of human

nature; for take an example of a dog, and mark

what a generosity and courage he will put on,

when he finds himself maintained by a man; who

to him is instead of a God, or melior natura; which

courage is manifestly such, as that creature, with-

out that confidence of a better nature than his own,

could never attain.  So man, when he resteth and

assureth himself, upon divine protection and

favor, gathered a force and faith, which human

nature in itself could not obtain.  Therefore, as

atheism is in all respects hateful, so in this, that it

depriveth human nature of the means to exalt it-

self, above human frailty.  As it is in particular

persons, so it is in nations.  Never was there such a

state for magnanimity as Rome.  Of this state hear

what Cicero saith: Quam volumus licet, patres con-

scripti, nos amemus, tamen nec numero Hispanos,

nec robore Gallos, nec calliditate Poenos, nec arti-

bus Graecos, nec denique hoc ipso hujus gentis et

terrae domestico nativoque sensu Italos ipsos et

Latinos; sed pietate, ac religione, atque hac una

sapientia, quod deorum immortalium numine

omnia regi gubernarique perspeximus, omnes

gentes nationesque superavimus.