Holding also good Correspondence with[1] the other Great Men in the State, Or else the Remedie is worse then the Disease.
XVI
OF ATHEISME
I had rather beleeve all the Fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than that this universall Frame is without a Minde; and, therefore, God never wrought Miracle to convince[2] Atheisme, because his Ordinary Works convince it. It is true, that a little Philosophy inclineth man's mind to Atheisme; But depth in Philosophy bringeth Men's mindes about[3] to Religion: For while the Minde of Man looketh upon Second[4] Causes Scattered, it may sometimes rest in them, and goe no further: But when it beholdeth the Chaine of them Confederate,[5] and linked together, it must needs flie to Providence and Deitie. Nay, even that Schoole, which is most accused of Atheisme doth most demonstrate Religion; That is, the Schoole of Leucippus, and Democritus, and Epicurus. For it is a thousand times more Credible that foure Mutable Elements, and one Immutable Fift Essence, duly and Eternally placed, need no God, then that an Army of Infinite small Portions or Seedes[6] unplaced[7] should have produced this Order and Beauty without a Divine Marshall. The Scripture saith, The Foole hath thought in his Heart, there is no God: it is not said, The Foole hath thought in his Heart: So as[8] he rather saith it by rote to himself, as that he would have,[9] than that he can thoroughly beleeve it, or be persuaded of it. For none deny there is a God, but those for whom it maketh[10] that there were
