ſtate of Chriſtendom to be lamented, which is generally infected with this contagious peſtilence? And how many bold and impudent Atheiſts are there in theſe times, who daringly and confidently deny the providence of God! believe not the immortality of the ſoul! think there is no ſuch thing as a life to come; and conſequently they live like ſwine and brute beaſts in the world, wallowing in all manner of luſts and ſenſuality. But let ſuch mad and brutiſh wretches know, that they ſhall one day be convinced of their folly, when it is too late: and they may likewiſe find by the following inſtances, which are of undoubted truth and certainty, that the divine juſtice doth ſometimes execute his ſevere judgments upon them in this world, and makes them monuments of vengeance for deterring others, that they may hear, and fear, and do no more ſo wickedly.
I. A certain blaſphemous wretch being drinking and merry at a common inn among his companions, asked them, Whether they thought a man was poſſeſſed with a ſoul or no? To which ſome of them replied, That the ſouls of men were immortal, and that ſome of them after their releaſe from the body lived in heaven, and that others were condemned to hell, as we are taught from the writings of the holy prophets and apoſtles; but he replied, and ſwore, He did nor believe the ſoul did ſurvive the body, but that heaven and hell were mere fables, invented by cunning prieſts to procure money, and as for his part, he would ſell his ſoul to any perſon who would buy it. Then one of his companions took up the cup, and ſaid, Sell me thy ſoul for this cup of wine, which he conſented to, and drunk it off: now the devil himſelf was there in the ſhape of a man (as he is commonly not far from ſuch debauchees) who bought it again of the
