Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 4

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 4

p. 11592 PET. 3.4.

And ſaying, Where is the promiſe of his comming? For ſince the Fathers fell aſleepe, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation.

REligion hath two extremes, both mortall enemies to her; Superſtition, and Atheiſme. The former will worſhip God her owne way; the other will acknowledge no God, to worſhip any way. It is hard to ſay, which of theſe is the worſe; either to the owners, or to their neighbours, or to the Lord himſelfe.

1. To the owners. Atheiſme leaves a man to Senſe, to Philoſophy, to naturall Piety, to Lawes, to Reputation: all which are ſome kinde of guides to morall vertue, though Religion were not. But ſuperſtition diſmounts all, and preſcribes a law to it ſelfe; a forme of worſhip, which if God will not accept, he ſhall have no obedience at all. So in ſtead of a kingdome, it erecteth an abſolute tyranny in the minde. From hence it comes, that no Pagans have beene worſe to Chriſtians, than Papiſts: their ſuperſtition allowing that villany, which irreligion would not admit. We never read among the Heathen ſo horrible and hideous a treaſon, as the Powder-plot in England, attempted by them that profeſſe the true God, but by a falſe worſhip. There is no Epicure of old, or preſent Atheiſt, but would rather bee what hee is, than ſuch a Chriſtian. They would but breake the bond of religious unity: theſe diſſolve the combination of all humane ſociety. Wee pitty the mad men of Munſter, but wee cannot but hate a religious Conſpirator. It is a great deale leſſe miſchiefe, that the want of all religion ſhould deface mens underſtanding, than that any religion ſhould ſpoyle them of Piety and Charity: when reaſon ſhall onelyonly bee retained as an Engine or Chariot-driver of malice, and moſt bloody cruelty. There is no ſuch Atheiſt, as a devout Hypocrite, a pious impoſter: there would be never a Divell left in Hell, rather than his boſome ſhould want gueſts and ſupply.

2. To others. Atheiſme is commonly confined to a mans owne breaſt, and does intra orbem ſuum furere: becauſe it knowes the owne weakneſſe to prevaile againſt the univerſall Tenent: but Superſtition is like a ball of Snow, that greatens it ſelfe by rolling. Never any Nation was wholly given over to Atheiſme: ſome god they acknowledged, though they could not light on the True: but Superſtition hath beene an epidemicall plague, leaving none un-infected. Atheiſme did never diſturbe States, but contracted it ſelfe with civility, and ſubordinate obedience. But Superſtition hath alwayes made uprores, and beene the confuſion of Countreyes. Atheiſme hath taught men to be wary of themſelves: they that expect no life after this, will make as much of this as they can: and therefore avoide quarrells that may trouble their peace, and enormities that may ſhorten their lives: therefore the times inclined to Atheiſme, as in the daies of Auguſtus Caeſar, were civill times. But Superſtition brings in a new Primum …bile, that raviſheth all the Spheres of government into diſorder. As Cuſtome p. 1160is the maſter of Ceremonie, ſo the maſter of Superſtition is the people. In both, wiſe men are faine to follow fooles … and what the multitude authoriſeth … practiſe … the wittes … ſtomes, and thoſe their Princes … Lawes. … for Religion, were evils unknowne … Divell, … divers names and formes▪ And for the petty quarrells among their Puppet-gods; as Mulciber in Trojam, pro Troja ſtabat Apollo; theſe differences were ſoone taken up at a Taverne, and reconciled over a cup of wine. But Superſtition is alwayes in garboyles, and the moſt deadly enmities. Both are ſuch enemies to all States, that Princes by their power, and Ch… but t…eir Decrees, ſhould alwayes joyne in the damning to Hell ſuch Factions, and their ſupports: and in all Councels concerning Religion, the counſaile of the Apoſtle would be prefixed; The wrath of man doth not fulfill the rightuoſneſſe of God.

3. To God. Atheiſme would have Deum nullum; Superſtition, Deum ignobil…m: the one would plucke him out of his Throne, the other would ſhare … him in his Throne. The one does him trecherie; the other … injurie. The Philoſopher could tell there is a God, and that he is to be worſhipped: but the true nature of God, and how to be worſhipped; he could never demonſtrate. Yet it is wonderfull that they went not thus farre, as to conſider, that if there be onelyonly one God, and he to be worſhipped; they did not examine the Rules whereby he commands himſelfe to be worſhipped: Seeing it is folly to acknowledge the King our Soveraigne, and to contemne his Lawes. What is this, but to reproach the Deitie, when we know his Precepts; yet refuſe them, and follow our owne fancies? It is, in ſtead of ſubjects, to make our ſelves fellowes with him in his Kingdome. And God will ſooner pardon revolters, (wee have no portion in David) than rebels, that would take away the portion of David. Sheba flies off, and would have no King: Abſalom flies on, and would be King himſelfe. The Atheiſt would have no roome for God: the Pope would have a roome with God,2 Theſſ. 2.4.2 Thess 2:4 yea, a roome above God. And whiles hee makes the world beleeve, he is the Servant of Christ, hee endevours to make Chriſt his ſervant: ſubjecting Gods royall and eternall Lawes, to his owne forged and mangie Traditions.

Thus miſerably aſſailed on both ſides is poore (but pure) Religion: on the one ſide with Papiſts, that would ſcratch out her eyes: on the other ſide with Atheiſts, that in their owne hearts, and Quoad ſe, would cut her throat. With this Monſter we are now to encounter, which comes roaring with two blaſphemies in his mouth: A

Challenge; Where is the promiſe of his comming?

Defiance; All things continue as they were, &c.

But before I come to examine theſe particular arguments, ſomething is requiſite to be ſpoken of Atheiſme in generall. And here conſider, the Nature, the Meaſure, the Kindes, the Cauſes, and the Conviction of it.

1. The Nature of it, is this: That it forceth a perſwaſion in the heart, of the nullitie of Divine Power; and leaves the whole world to be governed by Fortune. In our Saviours time there were Sadduces, that denyed the Reſurrection. They could not but know, that they ſhould die; they would not beleeve, that they ſhould riſe againe; or, give any account after death, for that they had done during life. The Schoole that is moſt charged with this Infidell affection, was that of Lucippus, and Epicurus: which taught, that foure mutable elements, and one immutable fifth eſſence, duely and eternally placed, needed no God. Which opinion yet was not ſo unreaſonable as that other, that an armie of A…omes, infinite ſmall portions or ſeedes unplaced ſhould produce ſuch an other and beautie, without a Divine Marſhall. Yet ſtill ſome fire burſt forth, like thunder, p. 1161through all thoſe conglommerated clouds: nor did Epicurus utterly denie all Deitie; but that the Power which was, had not reſpect to the Government of the world. Nor did he, as our Atheiſts ſay, temporize in this, and diſſemble for his credites ſake: as if he thought in his heart, there was no God. For his words as more noble: Non Deos vulgi negare, profanum: ſed vulgi opinionem Diis appli…. Though he had the confidence to denie the adminiſtration, he had not the power to denie the nature.

Indians and Pagans are not without their particular gods, and they have ſeverall ſinnes for them; though they have no name for the true God. So the Hea… … their Iupiter, Mars, Apollo; and would rather embrace many gods, then none at all: thus doe the moſt barbarous Savages convince Atheiſts Theſe are they that call all Scripture into queſtion; and if they entertaine the moralitie, yet will not credite the hiſtorie. If Geneſis ſay, God made the world they preſently aske, who made Geneſis? If the Apoſtles ſay, the world ſhall be diſſolved they demand, who told them ſo? They are content, with Cornelius Tacitus acknowledge Moſes a wiſe Naturian, well ſeene in the Learning of Egypt: … that he had Divine aſſiſtance in the greateſt of his Miracles, this th…y deni… The Water which hee ſtrucke out of the Rocke (ſay they) was not by any ſuper…all worke of God; but by watching to what part of the Wilderneſſe the … Aſſes repaired for drinke. They hold with Albumaſar, that his leading Iſrael over the Red Sea, was no more but obſerving the influence of the ſtarres, and waining of the Moone, that with-draweth the Tydes. Becauſe ſome have diſcredited the ſtorie of Suſanna, Iudith, and the like Apocryphall Bookes; therefore they ſerve all the reſt alike, and paralel the whole Bible with the Iewiſh Thalmud, and taxe it for a fabulous Legend.ee2 Cor. 4.3.2 Cor 4:3 But if our Goſpel hid, it is hid to them that are loſt. They will not beleeve, that are ordained to periſh.

2. The Meaſure of it: Above other ſinnes, it offers violence both to God and his Image. To God; in that it would not onelyonly rob him of his glory, but the world of him, of the Maker.ffPſal. 19.1.Ps 19:1 The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament ſheweth his handy-worke. But theſe contradicters denie him that honour: as if Heaven were not his (but onelyonly naturall) manufacture. He made all eyes, yet they would not leave him an eye to ſee withall. As if the Maker of all eares, of all tongues, of all hearts, ſhould not have an eare to heare, or a heart to be ſenſible of ſuch blaſphemies. Not that hee hath theſe members or affections, but the vertue of theſe in an infinite perfection. They have their being, live, move in him; yet denie him life, motion, and being: as if hee that made their hands, had none himſelfe. They eſtabliſh Reaſon as their god, and will not be perſwaded there is any other God, unleſſe hee makes them privie to all thoſe abſtracted and unſearchable ſecrecies. They aske when he had his beginning, that is without beginning, that gives beginning to all things. Or, how he governes: as if a King ſhould give account to his ſubjects. They examine him ſtraitly, where he was, what he did, before he created Heaven and Earth: and yet wee never found a Pitcher call his Potter to a reckoning. They runne through every circumſtance of his providence; with, Why he did this; and, Why he did not that. Such ambitious cogitations be found in earthen bodies; even to ranſacke the Kings private Cloſet, and to peruſe the Records of Heaven: which if they cannot attaine, they will vellicate and deprave. That inſatiate Diver into the ſecrets of Nature, who in the round compendiate bladder of his braine, did ſeeke to conglobe thoſe three great Bodies, Heaven, Earth, and the wide World of Waters; Aristotle: ſo puzzled his thoughts about the beginning and bounds of Nilus, that in Nilus he drowned himſelfe: and becauſe he could not comprehend it, would needes be comprehended by it. If that ſoule, ſo metaphyſically ſubtle, could not graſpe a River, who ſhall fetch out the concealements of p. 1162the infinite Godhead? The Angels know not the day of Iudgement, much leſſe other more ſecret circumſtances: And will God conceale that from his ſanctified attendants, which he reveales to ſinners? We men doe not tell our ſecrets to enemies, or ſtrangers. They that are never ſo familiar with earthly States, muſt not thinke to be familiar with the State of Heaven. Thus injurious are they to their Maker, and to themſelves: ſtriving to ſcrape out thoſe engraven Principles and Divine Characters, which God at firſt printed in his owne Image.

3. The Kindes are two: Firſt, the inward Atheiſt; that like the Panther, hides his head in a Hood of Religion, when hee ſeekes for a bootie: that devoures Widowes houſes, under pretence of long prayers. Church-Rites hee ſuppoſeth not amiſſe to buſie the peoples heads with, and keepe them from minding his proceedings. Hee cares not what god hee entertaines, but himſelfe is the onelyonly god he heartily worſhips. He puts on a holy looke, when he meanes to doe miſchiefe; and hath Scripture in his mouth, even while he is cutting his neighbours throat. As the Goſpel is the power of God to ſalvation, to every one that beleeves it: ſo he makes the profeſſion of it, Satans power of deceiving, to every one that beleeves him. VnderUnder the colour of ſuppreſſing Poperie, hee will not leave the Church a jot of her owne Patrimonie. The doore of his mouth is ſwept and garniſhed, Mat. 12.Matt 12and ſtrewed with greene Ruſhes; but in his heart is a whole Legion of Devils. The hypocrite certainely is a ſecret Atheiſt: for if he did beleeve there was a God, he durſt not be ſo bold as to coozen him to his face.

Next, the outward Atheiſt; that profeſſeth there is no God. The former are cunning, and ſwimme with the Tide: theſe have learned (like Trowtes) to ſwimme alwayes againſt the ſtreame. They tell us of Egyptians, that can prove a continued ſucceſſion of their Kings for ſeventie thouſand yeares: and impudently perſiſt in it, that the late diſcover'd Indians are able to ſhew antiquities many thouſand yeeres older than Adam. So helliſh are their falſehoods; yea they ſay, there is no Hell at all, but in opinion: but the Devill would give them all the world, that they could prove it ſo. Devils, ſay they? Alas, there are none: but the time ſhall come, they would give all the world, there were not. Iulian called all Chriſtians, Galileans: and in the houre of his death there appeared to him a grizly ſhagge-hair'd Devil; who (notwithſtanding hee cryed out, Viciſti Galilae, Viciſti, Thine is the day) would never give him over, till hee had ſtripped his ſoule, like pith out of her fleſhie ſtalke, and bore it with him to endleſſe torments.

4. The Cauſes follow; which are partly within them, and partly without them. Within them two:

Firſt, Ignorance: Becauſe they cannot groſſely palpare, feele God with their bodily fingers, or ſee him with their eyes, they confidently renounce him.hhHebr. 11.6.Heb 11:6 He that comes to God, muſt beleeve. They doe not come to God, but come againſt God: nor doe they beleeve, he is the rewarder of them that ſeeke him: but rather, that they proſper beſt, who deſpiſe him. Is a Monarch no King, becauſe he does not ſet his Throne among his utmoſt ſubjects, and borderers of his Kingdome? We are Gods utmoſt ſubjects; the laſt (in a manner) that he hath brought to his obedience: ſhall we forget our ſelves to be his ſubjects, becauſe he is not as viſibly converſant among us, as among his Angels? The ſoule governes the body; the body can neither ſee nor heare this ſoule: hath it therefore no ſoule? Yes: and as the body …ould not ſtirre without the ſoule; ſo neither body nor ſoule could move without God. It is hee that lets forth, and calls in our breath, that ſhuts and opens our eyes, orders our hands, and guides our feet, as he pleaſeth. Suppoſe our King ſhould erect his Throne in a forraine Land; yet he is ſtill our King, and his power undiminiſhed. Indeed ſo did our fathers rebell, and forgot p. 1163they had a King: ſo did the Kings owne brother rebell, and forgot that he had a brother; crowning himſelfe King, when Richard Cuer de Lyon was warring in the holy Land. He that is every where, muſt needs bee among us, though we ſee him not: divers Princes have taken pleaſure to walke diſguiſed among their owne ſubjects. How potent and patient is that God, who gives motion to thoſe tongues that blaſpheme him? Wee would not lend our enemie weapons to fight againſt us. A little Philoſophy inclineth mans minde to Atheiſme: but but depth in Philoſophy bringeth him about to Religion. When men looke upon ſecond cauſes, ſcattered; they are ready to reſt in them: but when they behold them confederate and knit together, they flie to Providence and confeſſe a Deity. ThereforeiiPſal. 14.1.Ps 14:1 David ſets a fooles cap on the head of Atheiſme.

Secondly, Pride. Proſperity doth ſo tympanize mens ſoules, and entraunce them from themſelves, that they forget they had a Maker. Who is God, ſaith Pharaoh: There is no God, ſaith Nebuchadnezzar: I am God, ſaith Alexander. but Nebuchadnezzar found there was a God: Pharaoh found what that God was; Alexander found himſelfe to be none; and confeſſed that hee knew himſelfe mortall by two things; ſleepe and luſt. Theſe drunken favourites of the world runne mad with a conceit of themſelves; and have ſo farre waded into the ſtreame of blaſphemies, and ſcorne of the Scriptures: that finding this height of provocation to eſcape puniſhment, they conclude there is no God to puniſh: otherwiſe he would not put up ſuch indignities. Firſt, they have made themſelves profane againſt God, and then pumpe their wits for reaſons to prove there is no God. So the Poet, though hee brought it in with an ignoſcite falſo, and with ſome more nicety, as if it were a temptation onelyonly, and put upon him: Solicitor nullos eſſe putare deos. The Snake, which the kinde husbandman tooke out of the cold, and cheriſhed in his boſome, when ſhe had recovered her lively heat, and growne luſty; ſingled out him ungratefully, to try her firſt ſting upon. God hath redeemed poore froſt-bitten Snakes, miſerable ſinners, from ſcarcity and want: and they no ſooner have pick'd up their crummes; but preſently (as if they could now ſtand of themſelves, and needed his helpe no more) they ſting him with their blaſphemies. And finding themſelves as great as they can well bee amongſt men, grow to envy and extenuate their Maker. If Ziba bee waxed great under Mephiboſheth, he will give him a lift for all he hath: a promoted Beggar hath not ſeldome renounced his owne parents. It is not ſo eaſie for a poore man to bee an Atheiſt. But impetuous luſt, if it muſt bee controlled, had rather ſay, there is no God, than yeeld to a God that will not yeeld to them.

The Cauſe without them are two. Firſt unlearned and rude Teachers, that 1leape out of a library of Catechiſmes into the loftieſt Pulpits; that uſurpe the Chaire of Paul, and were never brought up at the feet of Gamaleel. Theſe by preaching nothing but faith, quite diſcredite all faith, in the Atheiſts of our time. To plunge and blunder in the Pulpit, to bungle up a diſcourſe of two houres, to apply Scriptures without purpoſe; as if like Botchers, they would mend leather-doubtlets with velvet ſhreds: to deliver full ſtomach'd tautalogy for the evidence of the Spirit: to bee all utterance, no materials, and ſo not to edifie but tedifie their hearers. This diſgraceth the cauſe of Chriſt with theſe ſoule-Benummed enemies; who profeſſe, they had rather heare jarring blacke…nts, than ſuch bald Sermons. The Kings Embaſſage is diſhonoured, that is delivered by ignorants: nor can it bee credited, when not two of them agree in the tale. How doe they jeere at us, when they ſee congregations ſo thronged where ſuch heavy gated Lumberers teach? As if their mouths were reverenced … the lippes of the Sybils, who ſpake nothing but it was regiſtred; and all their ſentences were even Oracles. For this, the Italians call us dull-headed Ty…ani: for this, Atheiſts traduce us, that our braines are loſt with the p. 1164fumes of full platters, and our ſpirits buried in Beefe-pots. That as England hath Tinne and Leaden Mines, ſo it hath Tinne and Leaden Muſes: that wee have none left to confute Images and blockes, but blockes and Images. Though wee could eaſily cleare our ſelves, and the whole Miniſtery of our Church, from theſe unjuſt imputations: yet let us know this, that theſe enemies are ſpeciall men of wit: Popery hath not won to it ſelfe ſo great wits as Atheiſme: it is the ſuperfluity of wit that makes Atheiſts. Theſe will not bee beaten downe with fuſty dorbelliſme: diſordered haile-ſhot of Scriptures will never ſcare them: they muſt bee convinced and beaten at their owne weapons. Caeſarem appellasti? Ad Caeſarem ibis. Have they appealed to reaſon? Let us bring reaſon to them, that wee may bring them to reaſon. Wee need not feare the want of weapons in that armory, but our owne ignorance and want of skill to uſe them. There is enough even in Philoſophy to convince Atheiſme, and make them confeſſe, Propriis configimur pennis.

2Next, the bad lives of the religious: when they ſee thoſe hat acknowledge God, doe worſe deeds than they that acknowledge no God, this confirmes them in Atheiſme. It was the calling of the Apoſtles, and in ſome degree it is the office of all Chriſtians, to bekkAct. 18.22.Acts 18:22 Witneſſes unto Chriſt. Iohn Baptist was more than a Prophet, becauſe hee was a Witneſſe of Chriſt: that great and glorious name of Martyr, is but a Witneſſe. Now to bee Witneſſes of Chriſt, is to bee like Chriſt; to conforme our ſelves to the Doctrine and Example of Chriſt. Iohn Baptist was like him, he did as Hee did; hee led an holy and religious life: ſo he was a Witneſſe. Saint Stephen was Protomartyr, Chriſts firſt Witneſſe; becauſe he was the firſt that did as hee did, that put on his colours, that drunke of his cup, that was baptized with his Baptiſme, with his owne blood: ſo he was a witneſſe. All Chriſtians witneſſe for Chriſt with their mouths, but ſome witneſſe againſt him with their lives. They have a forme of godlineſſe, that is lip-teſtimony: butll2 Tim. 3.5.2 Tim 3:5 deny the power of it; here is no life-teſtimony. Infamy is one of the higheſt puniſhments which the law of man inflicts: Death ends all temporall ſufferings, but this lies upon a malefactor even after death. Infamy is the worſt penalty; and inteſtability, (to bee made inteſtable) is one of the deepeſt wounds of infamy: and then the worſt degree of inteſtability is not to be beleeved, not admitted for a witneſſe of any other. He is inteſtable, that cannot make a Teſtament or Will, that cannot give his owne goods: and he is inteſtable, that can receive nothing by the Teſtament of another. Hee is inteſtable, in whoſe behalfe no Teſtimony may be accepted: but hee is the moſt miſerably inteſtable of all, the moſt deteſtably inteſtable, that diſcredites another man by ſpeaking well of him; and makes him the more ſuſpicious by his commendations. A Chriſtian in profeſſion, that is not a Chriſtan in life, is in this laſt kinde inteſtable: he diſcredites Chriſt by bearing witneſſe of his Name, and makes his Name ſo much the leſſe regarded by his witneſſing.

From hence is the quarrell of all theſe Atheiſts againſt Religion; becauſe it is barraine of good workes. When the Orthodoxe and Arrian Biſhops contended about the faith, Iovinian could ſay; Of your learning I cannot ſo well judge, or your ſubtle diſputations: but I can obſerve which of you have the better behaviours, Lucius, reputed an Arrian Biſhop, cleared himſelfe to one Moſes, and made confeſſion of his faith. Tuſh, ſaith Moſes, what telleſt thou mee of the faith of the eares? Let me have the faith of the hands: I will not take my inſtalment from hands full of aſperſions, of bribery, blood, and injuſtice. Occulat … mihi ſunt manus, ſaith the Atheiſt with that Strumpet, Credunt quod vident. This gives them occaſion to blaſpheme God, and to doubt whether all Divinity bee not meere pollicy, and the Scriptures a fable. This is the principall pretext of Atheiſme, yea the fountaine. There was a woman much ſpoken of in ſome parts of this Land, that lived in profeſſed doubt of the Deity; even after p. 1165illumination and repentance hardly comforted: who often proteſted, that the vicious and offenſive life of a great learned man in the towne where ſhe dwelt, …d occaſion theſe damned doubts in her minde. This opens the mouth of wickedneſſe; this is the hint of all their ſcornes and ſcoffes of Religion. This made Linacre, reading upon the new Teſtament, the fift, ſixt, and ſeventh Chapters of Saint Matthewes Goſpell; and comparing thoſe rules with Chriſtian lives; to throw downe the Booke, and burſt forth into this proteſtation: Either this is not Gods Goſpell or we are not Chriſtians.

5. The Conviction. Doth all the world acknowledge ſome God? Doe ſome nations entertaine too many gods? And wilt not thou grant one God? Revolve thy memory, turne over the Records of that Diary: did'ſt thou never pray? Yes, and obtained: who heard thee, who granted that? Thou could'ſt not breath, unleſſe God did put the breath of life into thee; as unleſſe the bellowes did reſpire winde, they could not blow. Is there a ſparke of fire in thee, a ſoule? How came it there? How doth the compacture of thy body hang together? Why does it not fall aſunder now, and why ſhall it diſſolve hereafter? Is any of theſe diſpoſitions in thine owne hand? Who leads the Sonne out of his chamber, or brings the Moone forth of her cloudy pavilion, but God? Why doth not the ſea ſwallow up the earth, as well as over-peere it, but that there is a God that ſnaffles and curbes it? Hath the vaſt azur'd Canopy nothing above it, whereunto it is perpendicularly knit? Why then doe not all things wheele and ſwerve topſie-turvy? Why breake not thunderbolts through the clouds in ſtead of drops of raine? Why is not froſt and ſnow inceſſantly up in armes againſt the Summer? Who heares the thunder and thinkes not of God? Therefore wee may obſerve, that God never wrought miracle to convince Atheiſts. The Egyptians were Perſecuters, and they were convinced by miracles: the Baalites were Idolaters, and they were convinced by miracles: the Iewes were Apoſtates, and they were convinced by miracles. To ſatisfie all theſe ſinners abominable enough, miracles were wrought by Moſes, Elias, and Christ. But none to convince Atheiſts, becauſe Gods ordinary workes convince them. So that as Araham anſwered the rich Churle, that would have one ſent from the dead to his brethren.mmLuk. 16.31.Luke 16:31 They have Moſes oud the Prophets, if they will not heare them, neither will they bee perſwaded though one roſe from the dead: theſe be their bookes. So Paul anſwers Naturians, if they aske for miracles;nnRom. 1.20.Rom 1:20 By the things that are made, they may understand his eternall power and Godhead. Theſe are their bookes; fairely printed in large Characters, that they may run and read them.

But the chiefe conviction is their owne conſcience; there ſticke thoſe indeleble letters never to bee raſed out. Howſoever in pride of minde they would be different in Paradoxiſme from all the world, and fancy philoſophicall probabilities of the Trinities un-exiſtence: yet in the inmoſt recourſe of their conſcience, they ſubſcribe unto it. The foole hath ſaid in his heart; no foole ever thought in his heart: hee would faine have it ſo, he cannot beleeve it ſo: it is an opinion which he ſuggeſts to his heart, not which his heart ſuggeſts to him. This makes him fearfull to die, and to die fearefully: there could bee no ſuch terrour of the one, or affrightment in the other, if he did not beleeve ſome kinde of Audite after both. If we ſhould diſcourſe over the ends of all Atheiſts, we find their deaths drunken, violent, ſecluded from repentance, but not quitted nor quieted from agonies and extorted confeſſions of the Deity which they have denyed. Their guilty ſoules aſſure them of a ſinne hating God, even in the blackeſt darkneſſe of their owne contracted ignorance: like the ſooty viſage, and ſhady fancies of the night, when they have ſhut all the windowes, and drawne the curtaines, to keepe out the leaſt gimpſe of ſuch a knowledge. It is not poſſible to pin forth conſcience: it may for a while bee ſhut up, it can never bee ſhut out. God will p. 1166either charge it, as Iehu did concerning the brethren of Ahaziah; oo2 King. 10.14.2 Kgs 10:14Take them alive, and torment them in their mortall daies: make them know there is a God. Or, purſue them dead, as the Papiſts have dealt with divers Proteſtants; denying them both Coelum vivis, and Terram motuis; life and buriall; the aire to live in, or, the earth to be buried in. So their conſcience ſhall deny them vitam vivis, for the pangs of it ſhall take all comfort of life from the living; and mortem mortuis, for this ſhall not dye with them, but bee their everlaſting torture when they are dead. OnelyOnly in hell there ſhall bee no Atheiſts, they no ſooner enter that burning territory, but they ſhall eternally feele there is a God. O Lord open our eyes, that wee may ſee thy Majeſty: and ſoften our hearts, that wee may feele thy mercy: and looſen our tongues, that we may confeſſe thy glory: and direct our waies, that we may come to thy eternall felicity.

Where is the promiſe of his comming?] This is their Chalenge. So light was the eſtimate which the Heathen made of their idle and Idoll-gods, and ſo poore the reputation, either for their majeſty or bounty; that they feared not to beſtow jeſts upon them, as upon their fellowes. So it was familiar with them, to tell of Iupiters going a whoring, of his Rapes and Adulteries: nor was this onelyonly the matter of their ſtories, but the repreſentation of their Theaters, and played on their Stages: where appeared Plura crimina, quàm Numina: ſo did Ioves Wenching diſcredite his Thundring. Tully writes the ſtorie of Timeus; that the ſelfe-ſame night that Alexander was borne, the Temple of Diana at Epheſus was on fire: and no marvell; for the Miſtreſſe of it was a great way from home; as a Midwife in Macedonia, attending the travaile of Olympias. So they made themſelves merrie with their gods and goddeſſes, as men wont with Tales in Winter-evenings. But ſtill there was an impreſſion in their conſcience of an infinite Power, which they durſt not play withall, but rather thought on with feare and reverence. Their feare might fancie gods that were not: but the God that was, and is, did worke that feare in them. They wrong the interpretation of Theos, that ſay, Feare firſt made gods: Feare did not make God, but God made feare; I meane that feare which is awe and reverence; for the other feare was made by ſinne. But God is Theos rather, becauſe the feare of him is engraven in every heart. And after all the wilfull ſuppreſſions and deſperate ſtifflings of it, this feare will invade the ſtouteſt ſoule, and put a trembling into all his joynts. A wicked man ſinnes, and no mortall eye ſeeth him: Why is hee afraid? Why aſhamed? Certainely, there is in him a ſecret approbation of vertue, a condemnation of vice, and reluctation of conſcience. Let him doe what he can to ſmother it, this fire will breake our.ppPſal. 39.3.Ps 39:3 While I was m…ſing, the fire burned, and I ſpake with my tongue. The flame of conſcience will burſt forth, and ſpeake with a tongue of terror. Particulars.

1The comming of God is mentioned: and this is diverſe; Legall, Evangelicall, and Iudiciall: all which, Atheiſts denie. His Legall comming, was principally to the Iewes, not excluding the Gentiles: his Evangelicall comming, was principally to the Gentiles, not debarring the Iewes: his Iudiciall comming, ſhall be to Iewes and Gentiles, exempting none, but to judge all the world. In his firſt comming, he was a Commander; in his ſecond, a Saviour; in his laſt, a Iudge. His firſt, was to give the Law; his next, to give the Goſpel; his third, ſhall be to require an account of both. The firſt, ad mundum; the next, in mundum; the laſt, contra mundum. The firſt, imperious; the ſecond, gracious; the laſt, glorious.

1. His comming to give the Law, was majeſticall: He would have Iſrael ſee, that they had not to doe with an impotent Governour, that is faine to publiſh his Lawes without noiſe, in dead Paper: which can more eaſily enjoyne, than puniſh; or deſcry, than execute. Therefore, before he gave them the Law, hee ſhewes them, that he can command Heaven, Earth, Fire, Aire, in revenge of the p. 1167breach of that Law. They ſee all the Elements examples of that obedience, which they ſhould yeeld to their Maker: and cannot but thinke it deadly, to diſpleaſe ſuch a Law-giver, and violate ſuch dreadfull Statutes. But theſe Atheiſts denie this comming, they acknowledge no ſuch Lawes: onelyonly they thinke humane policie invented them, for the generall ſafetie: and that Homicides, Adulteries, Thefts, and Lies be reſtrained, it is onelyonly convenient for the State. The very Indians had a more reverend apprehenſion of the Decalogue, when it was read to them; and conſidering every Commandement, they profeſſed, there could bee nothing deviſed more juſt and equall. As Aeneas Sylvius ſaid of the Chriſtian Law; That it was worthy to be received for the honeſtie of it, though it had never beene confirmed by miracles. Woe unto thoſe Rebels, that will not allow the Law a power to command them; they ſhall find it an unanſwerable Indictment, to condemne them.

2. His comming to give the Goſpel, was humble. As in the Creation, God made man like himſelfe, by ſtamping in him the Image of his owne nature: ſo in the Redemption, God made himſelfe like man, by taking on him the infirmitie of our nature. And what God ſaid by way of deriſion, concerning Adam; Ecce homo, qqGen. 3.22.Gen 3:22Behold the man it become as one of us: the ſame we ſpeake by way of thankefull exultation, concerning God; Ecce Deus, Behold the Lord is become as one of us. His birth was ordinarie, was meane, was meaner than ordinarie: Verbam non poterat fari verbum. The Bread of Life was borne in Bethlem; Aug.by interpretation, the Houſe of Bread: but ſo poore a houſe of Bread, that there was ſcarce any Bread in the houſe. Hee was made ſo farre lower than the Angels, that hee was conſorted with beaſts. At this comming, doe the Atheiſts ſcoffe: they thinke, that King Herod had little reaſon to be troubled at it, and was more fear'd than hurt: and that the wiſe men, who preſented him gifts, were men none of the wiſeſt. Alas, ſhall they begin their Religion at a Babe in a Manger? And what was his wealth? When he was to pay tribute, he was faine to fiſh for money: he begged water to drinke: a Loafe and a Fiſh was his beſt cheare: hee complained the want of lodging, more than Birds and Foxes: he was wearie, hungrie, thirſtie, ſleepie, ſorrowfull. His owne kindred went about to lay hands on him, thinking he had beene out of his wits.rrEſa. 53.2.Isa 53:2 He had no forme nor comelineſſe, nor beautie to be deſired; but even deſpiſed and rejected of men. Such was his eſteeme then; and it is no better now, with theſe Atheiſts. What, is he their God, that was borne of a woman? The Earth is but a Center to the Heavens, and man or woman but a Point or Center to the Earth: that a Centers Center, the Point of a Point, ſhould containe him that containes all things; they deride, for vainely impoſſible. They conſider not, why he was thus: even becauſe he came to be thus. He ſuffers enemies to wound him: why, he came to bleed: he lets ſinners kill him: why, hee came to be killed for ſinners.ſſHeb. 6.6.Heb 6:6 They crucifie to themſelves the Sonne of God afreſh, and put him to an open ſhame. But they now diſgrace that Bloud, whereof hereafter they would give a thouſand worlds for one drop.

3. His laſt comming, is to give Iudgement: The two former are paſt, this is to come: And how ſhould they beleeve the future, that will not receive the former? But they that would not now accept him as a Saviour, ſhall not then eſcape him as an Avenger. Then ſhall they finde … King, that uſed to cry, Non habemus Regem niſi Caeſarem: and they ſhall ſee another God, that flatter'd their owne impious ſoules with, Non habemus Deum niſi Naturam. Their N…lumus hunc regnare, Wee will not have this man raigne over …, paſſeth now upon earth: but their Nolumus hunc judicare, We will not have this man judge us, ttAct. 17.31.Acts 17:31ſhall doe no good at the great Aſſiſes. Now they laugh at him, but then all the kindreds of the earth ſhall mourne before him. They had power to condemne him, that had power to condemne them: at laſt he ſhall bring this power into act: and as they once p. 1168ſaid to him; Depart from us, thou deſpiſed: ſo he ſhall ſay to them; Depart from me, ye curſed. uuMatth. 8.34.Matt 8:34The Gadarens, after the loſſe of their Hogges, beſought him to depart out of their coasts. They ſhould have argued: This man hath power over men, beaſts, devils; it is good having him to our friend; his preſence, is our ſafetie and protection. But they contrariwiſe inferre: Thus powerfull is hee; it is good he were further off. What miſerable and pernicious miſconſtructions doe vaine men make of God, of divine attributes, and actions? God is omnipotent, able to take infinite vengeance on ſinne: Oh, that hee were not. If hee be mercifull, I may ſinne: if he be provident, I may be careleſſe. I doe evill, and he does not puniſh me with evill: therefore there is no God, no ſuch matter as his comming. How wittie Sophiſters naturall men are, to deceive their owne ſoules, to rob themſelves of a God? Oh Chriſt, how worthy are they to want thee, that wiſh to be rid of thee? He hath juſt cauſe to be wearie of us, even while we ſue to hold him. But when once our wretched unthankfulneſſe growes wearie of him; who can pitie us, to be puniſhed with his departure? How righteous will it be for him one day to regeſt upon theſe ſcorners, Depart from me, ye wicked? I did come, and ye would not receive me: I threatned to come againe, and ye would not beleeve me: now I am come againe, and ye ſhall not eſcape me.

2The neceſſitie of both the Commings of Chriſt, would be layd to the conſcience of theſe deſpiſers. For the former:

1. The conſcience of every man doth teſtifie to him, that there is a Rule: which if he followes, he does well, and is at peace: if he tranſgreſſe, he finds trouble and ſecret reprehenſion, with a dread of puniſhment. Now there is no man but feeles himſelfe a ſinner, and is condemned in his owne ſoule. Againſt whom hath he ſinned? for Nullius timor nullus: this muſt needs be againſt that Power which gave that Law. Say, he denyes the Law written; he cannot but expunge the Law engraven. There is no Law made without a penalty upon the breach: this penalty can bee no other than proportionable to the breach: the breach of the Law muſt be meaſured according to the Power of the Law-giver: the Law-giver can be no leſſe than infinite; and no leſſe infinite muſt be the puniſhment. Diverſe of mens lawes impoſe death temporall; what other than eternall death can ſatisfie God? We cannot imagine that God will forgive ſinne without ſatisfaction to his Iuſtice: not that he cannot, propter defectum potentiae; but that he will not, propter perfectionem Iuſtitiae. This is a chaine of ſo infallible dependance, that it admits of no diſjunction.

What then, is there no remedy? yes, if we can get one to ſuffer for us, and to make full payment of our debts, wee ſhall bee acquitted. Who ſhould that bee? Men or Angells cannot anſwer for their owne ſinnes, but they muſt needs if they ſinne, periſh. He that can ſuffer for them, muſt be man: he that can eſcape from thoſe ſufferings, and recover his life, muſt bee God. Such was the neceſſity of Chriſts firſt comming. xxRom. 8.3.Rom 8:3The Law hath a double righteouſneſſe; for ſo Beza reads foreign Iuc Legis. One of obedience: this the Law doth rightly challenge, and it hath not the right if it have not obedience. The other is a right to condemne for diſobedience: for it is right, they that doe evill, ſhould ſuffer evill. If Adam had fulfilled the Law, hee ſhould have beene ſaved by it: the damned fulfill it in Hell, in regard of the curſe, but they cannot be ſaved by it. We muſt all fulfill it, …el in praecep… vel in pana. The precepts muſt be kept, that there may bee place for the promiſes. If the precepts bee not fulfilled, the curſe muſt bee endured.Heb. 9.22.Heb 9:22 The curſe calls for our blood, and without blood there is no remiſion. We can doe neither of theſe by our ſelves: where then is our ſafety? Wee have done both theſe by our Surety. What then ſhall become of thoſe that deny the comming of this Surety in ſuch was the wonderfull wiſedome of God, to execute his Iuſtice upon Chriſt, that hee might exerciſe his mercy towards us. p. 1169Without infinite ſatisfaction, his juſtice could not be appeaſed: without infinite merciemercy, wee could not be ſaved. One Deepe calleth another: the Deepe of his juſtice, for the Deepe of Chriſts ſatisfaction: the Deepe of our miſerie, for the Deepe of his merciemercy. If he had ſhewed merciemercy without ſatisfaction, where had beene his juſtice? If he had onelyonly laid his juſtice upon us, where had beene his merciemercy? Both theſe muſt concurre: MercieMercy and truth muſt meete together, that righteouſneſſe and peace might kiſſe each other.

This is the true way: now cunning Atheiſt finde out a new way. To grant merciemercy, and denie juſtice; this were injurious to God: to grant juſtice, and denie merciemercy; this were injurious to thy ſelfe. There is no way then left, but for the comming of Chriſt to helpe thee: let not the benefit of that comming fall beſide thee. Here let us looke with thankfull admiration, upon that which they loade with deriſion. Chriſt ſuffered for us; not onelyonly cauſa nostrâ, but vice nostra, in our ſtead: we ſhould have beene beaten, buffeted, crucified, curſed; he repreſented our perſons, was in our roome. O infinite love! Many deſire to repreſent Kings, and weare thoſe royall honours in their Ambaſſages: But few deſire to repreſent the perſons, and beare the ſhame of baſe condemned wretches. There is no ſuing for this; yet Chriſt undertooke it: the King of all the world repreſented the perſons of the pooreſt beggars in the world. The Law requires her right, and her right ſhe hath a Chriſt hath fulfilled it for us, and we have fulfilled it in Chriſt. It may threaten us with our continuall failings; but there is a Non obſtante, by the goodneſſe of our ſuretie. If the forfeit or mulct be payd for the breach of a penall Statute, the Law can goe no further. Yea, hee that hath Chriſt, though he have not kept the Law, hath the righteouſneſſe of the Law. Chriſt hath endured the ſharpeſt of Gods judgements, which he deſerved not; that wee might taſte the ſweeteſt of Gods mercies; which wee deſerved not. All this happineſſe the Infidell loſeth: for, Excludit eventum, qui non credit adventum.

But here the Atheiſt comes in againe with a new quarrell: What need our repentance or obedience; when Chriſt hath ſorrowed, ſuffered, obeyed, done all for us? When Augustine juſtified free will againſt the Maniches, the ignorant would take him for a Pelagian: when hee denied free will to the Pelagians, they would take him for a Maniche: he was neither; but diſputed againſt both the extremes; the one utterly denying it, the other too highly extolling it. So let us not be miſtaken in the Diameter: when wee teach that we muſt ſorrow for our ſinnes, this denies not Chriſts ſuffering for thoſe ſinnes. When we ſay, Chriſt h…re our ſorrowes: this exempts not us from our juſt griefe for our ſinnes. Becauſe hee went the way of Thornes, muſt ours be ſtrawed with Roſes? Becauſe hee came to fulfill the Law for us, ſhall wee never minde any obedience to that Law after his comming? This was the argument of the Gnoctickes: Hee that dyed, that wee ſhould not dye, lookes hee for a requitall? Our teares for his teares? Our blood for his? Non vicem repetit, ſaith Tertullian: Sed ideo magis d…kes, quiae non repetit. The Borrower is a Servant to the Leader; Prov. 22.7.Prov 22:7and the Receiver to the Giver. Hath hee done ſo much for us, and ſhall we deny him any thing that he requires, though it were our lives? But what is it hee would have us to doe? Hee hath beene the puniſhment of our ſinnes, hee would therefore have us ceaſe to ſinne. He endured baſeneſſe for us, therefore let us repent of our pride: this hee would have. His mouth was buffered for us, let us hate all blaſphemy and evill ſpeeches: this hee would have. Hee hungred and thirſted for us: Shall we ſurfet upon ſtrong drinke and belly-cheare? This hee would not have. His ſide was pla…ced for our ſinnes: Shall wee thruſt the ſame ſpeare into the ſame wound againe? This he would not have, and let us never doe it.

The neceſſity of his laſt comming followes upon this: for ſhall hee give the 3…eld both Law and Goſpell, and call us to account for neither? Shall hee let p. 1170his Vineyard to Husbandmen, and never require Rent? The Law and Commandements were the Acts of his Iuſtice, and they are trangreſſed. The Goſpel and Promiſes are the Acts of his Mercy, and they are abuſed. Shall he put up all theſe indignities, and ſuffer his Creatures to finiſh their licentious races with impunity? Why doe men die? Becauſe the Elements decay with age: Is this all? Nay, but why are men afraid to die? Is it onelyonly becauſe nature abhorres diſſolution, and they would not ceaſe to bee? Is this all? Wee cannot beleeve it: wee know they feele more than this; even a guilty feare of ſome ſucceeding recompence; whereof becauſe their foule ſoules can have no good expectation, they tremble at the ſuſpition of evill. This is the preſage and pralodium of hell approching: that they often cry out on their death-beds, They are damned, when yet the ſentence is not come: and The devill, the devill, in their franticke and diſtracted imaginations; before he can ſeiſe on their ſoules in their diſſolutions. So Cardinall Creſcentius, a little before his death, was troubled with a blacke Dogge in his chambers. So Spyra-like, they depart deſolate and deſperate in and into helliſh horrours. Thus the Epicures that denied God as the …ap-houſe, preach him at the gal-houſe: and confeſſe that in ſobriety of ſpirit, which they oppugned in wantonneſſe. They that would not finde out the Lord in his mercies while they live, ſhall bee ſure to bee found out by him in his Iudgements when they are dead.Rev. 6.8.Rev 6:8 There is a pale Horſe and his Riders name is Death, and hell followes him. That pale Horſe, death, ſhall deliver them over to the blacke Horſe, Satan; and the blacke Horſe ſhall carry them to the red Horſe, the flame-coloured Hell.

Let us eate and drinke, for to morrow we die; ſay the Atheiſts: But when they come to die, they ſtill have ſtomach to meat and drinke: their meat and drinke, is to doe their owne luſts; as Chriſts was, to doe his Fathers will. Their dayly ſuſtenance they devoure without thankes, not without ſinne: But ſhall the gueſt take his fare and lodging, and depart, without paying any Shot? Will the Hoſt entertaine ſtrangers in his Inne, and ſuffer them to pay nothing? Eate and drinke, for to morrow we ſhall die? One would thinke, it ſhould be Faſt and pray, for to morrow we ſhall die. Eate and drinke, to die? Men eate and drinke, to live. Eate, drinke, and die? Would they be taken away with a full ſtomach, as we kill beaſts when they have moſt fleſh on their backes? Eate and drinke to day, and not die till to morrow? Who gave them aſſurance for ſo long? Why not to day? Why not preſently, before they can put either meat or drinke into their mouthes? Multa cadunt inter. The wiſe man conſiders, he hath no morrow: therefore lookes to himſelfe, while it is called To day. Eate, drinke, and die: Well, yeeld this the common condition of all: Yet to doe and ſuffer all this in a ſupine and deſperate careleſneſſe, as it were to ſpight deſtinie; this makes up the blaſphemie. Die, and there an end? As there is no need of meat and drinke after death, ſo is there no reckoning to be made for that they have taken? O fooles! Will Nature take her due, and ſhall not Iudgement exact his tribute? Death is the way of all fleſh: the way, it is not the end of all fleſh. Very much fleſh hath no end but damnation, and that damnation hath no end at all. As it is with a man that eates and drinkes day by day in great quantitie, and yet can neither digeſt nor egeſt it, get it neither up nor downe: he muſt needs expect death for Phyſicke, that meat and belly both periſh together. So he that clogges his ſoule with the continuall ſurfets of ſinne; and can neither digeſt them in his conſcience, nor egeſt them by repentance; cannot avoid the Iudgement, which ſhall deſtroy both ſinne and ſoule together. The Statutes of righteouſneſſe they have wholly broken, the remedies of unrighteouſneſſe they have not taken; what can be their end, but deſtruction?

4The ſoule dies not with the body: it muſt therefore got ſome whither, when it leaves the body. If the ſoule in particular come to Iudgement, way …iceſ… p. 1171not the generall Iudgement come to all? I am loth to mingle Philoſophicall Conceits with Divine Cordials, as Water with Wine, leſt my perſwaſions ſhould be flaſh and dilute; but that I am here to deale with Atheiſts. All Philoſophie (the bruitiſh Schoole of the Epicure excepted) did acknowledge the ſoule of man to be no vapour. Not onelyonly the learned Grecians, and civilized Romanes, but even the rudeſt Scythians, and unletter'd Savages, the many Languages, and ſundry Dialects in the world; this hath ever beene the common voice of them all, That ſoules die not with their bodies. If they die not, extinctively, what becomes of them? Shall the vertuous and vicious ſoule ſpeed both alike? Whither goe they; good and bad, all to one place? If a beaſt could argue, hee would abhorre ſuch a Tenet. That there is difference of men, no Atheiſt ever denyed: they never thought a murderer to be ſo good a man, as a preſerver of life. They diſtinguiſh betweene a charitable reliever of the poore, and a bloudie oppreſſor of them; betwixt him that ſpeakes truth, and the lyar; betweene the chaſt man, and an adulterer; and ſay, This is a bad man, that is a good one. Yet looking upon the outward condition of theſe; too often the vicious flouriſheth with riches and honour, whiles the good man goes away with povertie and contempt. What then? Shall the ſoules of both theſe fare thus hereafter too? Shall the noble rioter retaine his honour, and the induſtrious labourer remaine ſtill a beggar? What ſenſe ever concluded ſo? If then the ſoule have a being, it muſt needes change the condition of being: there cannot but be a reward for the juſt, and a retribution for the unrighteous. It is not poſſible for the moſt corrupted heart to thinke, that a ſoule ſhall be honoured for villanie, and for honeſtie be contemned.

Why are good men hated? Why afflicted? Why goe they mourning all the day, eating the bread of ſorrow, and mingling their drinke with teares? Why doth not the current of honour and opulencie runne by their doores? Why are they not the Treaſure of Princes, the Iewels of Kingdomes, the favourites of all men? What ſhould be denyed them, whom God loves? Be it anſwered, Nond…m tempus: the time is not yet. Pleaſure, and joy, and peace, are comming to them; but onelyonly with the comming of Chriſt. Shall man ſay to God in the midſt of his diſtreſſes; Lord, Haccine Iuſtitia tua, Is this thy Iuſtice? He will anſwere;Aug. in Prafas. Pſal. 25.Ps 25 O man, Haeccine fides tua, Is this thy faith? Thus argue theſe Atheiſts: If God be ſo wiſe and juſt in governing the world, and beare ſuch love to his owne, why doth he ſuffer them to be ſo triumphed over? Either he would deliver them, and cannot; or he can, and will not; or he neither will, nor can; or both. If he would, and cannot; then is he impotent, and hath not the power of a God. If he can, and will not; then he is envious, and wants the love of a God. If he neither can, nor will; then is he ſo farre from being a God, that he comes ſhort of a man. If he both will, and can; why is it not done? We anſwere, That he both can, and will, and doth deliver his choſen. He can at all times, he will at ſome times, he doth at the beſt and fitteſt times, moſt ſeaſonable for his owne glory, and our bleſſedneſſe. And then they that have denyed and deſyed God in their braverie, ſhall be caſt downe to endleſſe calamitie: when thoſe deſpiſed and diſtreſſed ſoules, that humbly acknowledged him on Earth, ſhall be acknowledged and glorified by him in Heaven.

They ſpeake of a Promiſe of his comming: But when comes he? Where is this 5Promiſe? Hee ſaid, that hee wouldaaRev. 22.12.Rev 22:12 come quickly: yet it is fifteene hundred yeares agoe, and hee is not come. Hee ſpake of Clouds, and Angels, and a Throne: we ſee none of all theſe things. The Clouds flie up and downe with the winde, and are as they were at firſt: Angels we ſee none: nor any Thrones, but thoſe wherein the Monarchs of the Earth ſeat themſelves. He promiſed, that the dead ſhall riſe: we never ſpake with any body that roſe from the dead, to confirme us in ſuch an expectation. He promiſed, that the Heavens and Earth ſhall be on fire: p. 1172yet the Earth is as ſteddy; and the Heavens as faire and cleare, as when he ſpake it. That the Sunne ſhould be darkened, and the Moone turned to bloud: yet they both give their alternall light, and diſtinguiſh day and night with unfailing viciſſitude. Hee ſaid, that the Trumpet ſhould ſound, and waken all fleſh: our ſleepes are not yet broken with any ſuch terrible ſummons. That the Starres ſhould fall: yet ſtill they keepe their ſtations, motions, and orbes. Thatbb2 Theſſ. 1.6. &c.2 Thess 1:6 he will come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God; recompenſing tribulation to them that trouble his children, and reſt to them that are troubled. Yet wee are luſty and ſtrong: and as we have followed our fathers, ſo wee leave our Inheritances to our ſucceeding poſterities. And for thoſe that are troubled, troubled they may be ſtill, for any helpe that we ſee droppe downe from the Heavens to their comfort. He hath promiſed to Iudge quicke and dead, yet neither is done: and if the living ſcape, what will the dead feare; that are inſenſible? When then is the promiſe of his comming? Sure all is but the vaine feare of ſome, and the fooliſh ungrounded hope of others: for there is no ſuch matter as any future life: Men dye as Beaſts, with as full ceſſation of being: there is neither Iudge, nor Doome, nor Hell, nor Heaven: all are but the inventions of policy, to limit the World to a civill carriage. Theſe be the horrible blaſphemies of preſumptuous ſpirits, and ill-flattered ſoules,Rom. 2.5.Rom 2:5 ordained to periſh in their owne ſecurity.

But, why doe they call it a Promiſe? Not in reſpect of themſelves: alas, they cannot apprehend it without terrour, and a palſey in their joynts. But they reflect this Promiſe upon the good, who looke for a deliverance and reward in that day.cc1 Cor. 15.19.1 Cor 15:19 For if in this life onelyonly wee had hope in Chriſt, wee were of all men moſt miſerable. To us it is a day of Promiſe, to them a day of commination: to us the end of ſorrowes, to them the beginning. Then we looke that God ſhould both wipe away all teares from our eyes, and ſet their eyes a running with teares for ever. The object of our hope, and of their feare, is the day of univerſall retribution.ddIoh. 5.29.John 5:29 All ſhall come forth: they that have done good, to the reſurrection of Life: they that have done evill, to the reſurrection of damnation. eeAmos 5.18.Amos 5:18Woe to them when they deſire the day of the Lord: to what end is it for them? The day of the Lord to them is darkeneſſe, and not light. ffEſa. 5.19.Isa 5:19They ſay, Let him haſten his worke, that wee may ſee it, &c. But they ſhall finde itggZeph. 1.15.Zeph 1:15 a day of wrath, hhIoel 2.11.Joel 2:11a day of trouble and diſtreſſe, a day of deſolution and darkeneſſe. It is a day they will have ſmall joy in. If horror, and amaſedneſſe, and pangs of conſcience, and deſpaire, and vengeance, and rejection from God, and condemning to Hell, can bring them any comfort; much good do't them with it.

6Gods firſt comming to give the Law, and his laſt comming to require the Law, have a neere ſimilitude. There, was Lightning darted in their eyes, Thunder roaring in their eares, the Trumpet drowning the Thunder-claps, the voice of God lowder than the Trumpet; clouds enwrapping, ſmoake aſcending, fire flaming, the Mount trembling, Moſes quaking, a terror in the Heavens, an uprore in the Elements, paleneſſe and death in the face of Iſrael: how wonderfull, how dreadfull was this appearance? Hee delivers his Law in the light of fire, from out of the ſmoake; to teach them, that he could finde out their cloſeſt ſinnes. They ſee fire above them, to repreſent the fire that ſhould be below them; that they might learne what is due to their ſinnes. That they might know, God could waken their ſecuritie, the Thunder and lowder voice of God ſpeakes through their eares to their hearts. That they might ſee what their hearts ſhould doe, the Earth quakes under them. To aſſure them that there is no ſhifting of their appearance, the Angell calls them together. O royall Law, O mightie Law-giver, who can offend thee without terror? Now, if his firſt comming were ſo terrible, what ſhall be his laſt? If the Law was thus given, how ſhall it be required? If ſuch were the Proclamation of Gods Statutes, what ſhall the Seſſions be? What heart of Adamant doth not tremble at the reſemblance? p. 1173The Trumpet of the Angell called unto the one; the voice of the Archangell, the Trumpet of God, ſhall ſummon us to the other. In that, Mount Sinai onelyonly was on a flame: here, all the world ſhall burne with fire. In both, there are Clouds, Lightening, Thunders, Trumpets, Fire: onelyonly in this latter, the ſtreame of Fire ſhall be more potent, patent, violent, diſſolving the Heavens, and melting away the Elements, with a noiſe. Thinke Atheiſt, what pleaſure thou ſhalt finde in his comming. If God did on ſuch a manner forbid ſinne, what is the vengeance hee will inflict upon ſinners? If hee were ſo terrible a Law-giver, what a Iudge ſhall he appeare? If the deliverie of the Law was little leſſe than death, what death ſhall be the reward of the tranſgreſſors of it? It was given in a fire fearefull enough, but ſhall be required in a fire more fearefull. The fire wherein it was delivered, was but terrifying; the fire wherein it ſhall be required, is conſuming.

To us then, if we be true beleevers, belongs this Promiſe of his comming. Chriſts firſt comming was the Expectation of nations, this next is the Expectation of Chriſtians.iiLuk. 21.28.Luke 21:28 Looke up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. Our eyes are ſtill dropping in this valley of teares; but we looke for the gracious beames of that Sunne of mercy that ſhall dry them up. No woman with child did ever more exactly count her time: no Iew did ever more earneſtly wiſh for the Iubile: no ſervant ſo deſireth the end of his yeares: no ſtranger ſo longs to bee at home: no overladen ſoule ſo groneth for eaſe: no Souldier ſo heartily contendeth to have his warres determined with conqueſt: as the Saints expect the Promiſe of this comming of Ieſus Christ. It is the ſtrength of their hopes, the ſweet object of their faiths, in the midſt of all ſorrowes; the comfort of their hearts, the heart of their comforts, the encouragement of their wearied ſpirits, the life of their encouraged ſoules; the common clauſule, the continuall period and ſhutting up of their prayers; Come Lord Ieſus, come quickly. Amen.

For ſince the Fathers fell aſleepe, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation.] This is their Sentence or Argument. We may thinke it ſtrange, that the Apoſtle ſhould ſpend any time or paines in the confuting of Atheiſts: whom ſhame, feare, and a thouſand witneſſes, like gnawing wormes within their breſts, have ever from the beginning, and ſhall to the end of the world, force unto an acknowledgment of the Deity. And that it were more fit, arguments ſhould bee drawne out of the ſcabberds of Magiſtrates, that might without reply choake the breath of ſuch execrable impiety: than for reaſon to diſpute that which heaven, earth, Angels, men and devils, all ages, all languages of the world have confeſſed. And that ſuch inglorious and infamous queſtions ſhould be left to the Tribunall of the higheſt Iudge, if there be no Throne upon earth that will determine them: for certainely, they are the children of hell by as proper right as the devill himſelfe. And what am I, that like Vzzah, I ſhould ſtretch out my hand to underprop the Arke, or, offer to uphold the high Throne of the Godhead? Princes will not let thoſe ſtand in their preſence, with whom they are diſpleaſed: and alas, My ſinnes are ever before me; I am a man of polluted lippes. Yet becauſe there is a generation of men, that have commanded their tongues (for they ſhall never command their hearts) to ſpeake a blaſphemous Lye; men monſtrouſly miſ-ſhapen in the powers of the ſoule, and transformed from the uſe of reaſon: that labour to roote up thoſe rationall Maximes and Principles, which the hand of Nature hath planted in them: and they arekkIudg. 5.23.Judg 5:23 curſed, that helpe not the Lord againſt his enemies; that doe not arme their pennes and tongues againſt his Atheiſticall contradictors: I muſt proceed, according to my Theme, not onelyonly to retort their aſſaults, but to fling new darts in their faces. Yea, I could wiſh, that thoſe great wits, which ſpend their time in bandying unneceſſarie queſtions, would let flie upon this Monſter, which is the roote that nouriſheth all the branches of ſecuritie; and digge up that from the bottome. p. 1174Let their paines at the Court, and the Croſſe, be imployed in weeding up thoſe Diagoriz'd opinions, and remnants; which yet ſticke even in ſuch Gardens, as have borne a long time the name of Chriſtians: and tell them, that God hath ordained long ſince their impious and blaſphemous ſpirits to immortall malediction.

I confeſſe, that the Champions of God have need of the various and univerſall Weapons of Learning, for the conviction of theſe Out-lawes. You will ſay, the Scripture is ſufficient (it is ſo) to build up the man of God. But what ſhall we doe contra principia negantem? Vrge Atheiſts with the Verdict of the Scriptures, you may as well bring them the Hiſtorie of Herodotus, or, the Narrations of Lucian. Tell them of Heaven, and Hell, and a Iudge; they count it as a Tale of Cocytus and Phlegeton, and ſuch fabulous inventions of licentious Poets. Therefore, skirmiſhing with Atheiſts, we muſt behave our ſelves as if we were a converting Gentiles. The confeſſion of Philoſophers, the conſent of Hiſtories muſt be obſerved: they will not be convinced, but with their owne Authors. There is no knowledge, but it is of God: and we diſhonour Divinitie, if we take away her handmaids; as a Queene, that is allowed no ſervants. Logicke, Rhetoricke, Philoſophie, Hiſtorie, Poetrie, are her waiting-maids;llPſal. 45.14.Ps 45:14 the Virgins that follow her, and as it were helpe to make her readie, in her choiſe ornaments. When Chriſt ſaid, You must forſake all, and follow me; he did not meane that wee ſhould forſake all Arts, and follow him. Luke was a Phyſician, Paul a learned Phariſie: neither of theſe knowledges did them hurt, in performing their Miniſterie. Paul alledged Verſes out of Heathen Poets: it was, but by their owne Poets to convince Heathens. The Atheiſts with nothing but knowne reaſons will be refuted: they admit of no reaſons, but thoſe that come within the compaſſe of their five ſenſes. When they heare one talking affectedly, coldly, or abſurdly in the Pulpit; alledging, that he ſpeakes from the mouth of God; they make an obloquie of mouth, matter, and all. Indeed wee ſhould not lumber up Scripture; but lay it deliberately and methodically, like Pearle and Gold-lace on a rich garment. If there be any that care not how they ſpeake it, ſo they have it to ſpeake; they diſhonour it. Out it flies from them, Eaſt and Weſt, though they loſe it in the miſ-application; all is nothing, for more they have of it, than they well know what to doe withall. It ſhould be uſed as the firſt ground, to build; and the laſt Seale, to confirme. When it is trivially, and without neceſſitie, called unto witneſſe, it is a kinde of taking the Name of God in vaine. We muſt gather fruit, not leaves; proofes, not phraſes onelyonly out of the Bible. It is the Corner-ſtone; both the foundation, and cloſing up of the Building. In warre we uſe the weapons and engines of all Nations: ſo no leſſe doe we imploy all Arts againſt the ſinnes of all Nations. Scripture muſt be reſerved as the laſt Volley, to get the victorie. It is the great Ordnance, which muſt play upon our enemies in the end and chiefe hazard of the fight. All wiſe Orators keepe their weightieſt arguments to the concluſion: otherwiſe like that people whom they call Hot-ſhots, they will give a brave on-ſet, but quaile preſently. Againſt theſe Porphyrian deriders, let us uſe all our Art: let Prieſts pronounce them, and Princes proclaime them, the uncleaneſt Lepers that ever Sore ranne upon: not onelyonly to be excluded the Hoſt, and to have their habitation alone; but to be exiled the Land, and extermined Nature it ſelfe, which they ſo unnaturally ſtrive to annihilate: for they call earthly Princes Kingdomes in queſtion, whiles into queſtion they call the Kingdome of God.

For ſince the Fathers fell aſleepe, &c.] Let us now heare their argument; what they can ſay againſt him, that hath ſaid that againſt them, which ſhall ſticke by them forever. There is, they pretend, the ſame ſtate and courſe of things now, that was at the firſt: no alteration, no innovation.mmEccl. 1.9.Eccl 1:9 The thing that hath beene, is that which ſhall be: and there is no new thing under the Sunne. Day and Night, p. 1175Winter and Summer, Seeding and Harveſt, have their wonted viciſſitude: therefore they have ſtood from all eternitie, and to all eternitie they ſhall ſtand … they had no beginning, they ſhall have no end: there is an everlaſting perpetuitie of all things. If wee take their argument in pieces, wee finde three Limbes of this confuſed Chaine: firſt, Certitudinem, a conſtancie or continuance: ſecondly, Latitudinem, the largeneſſe of this dreamed abiding, or immutableneſſe; All things: thirdly, Longitudinem, the longevitie or ſpace of duration; From the beginning. Firſt, we will examine the ſtrength, or rather weakeneſſe of theſe circumſtances aſunder, and then diſſolve them all together.

1. For the Continuance: Conſtancie is indeed the glory of all goodneſſe, the crowne of vertues. It is the incommunicable honour and peculiar of God;nnMal. 3.6.Mal 3:6 Ego Iebovah non mutor: in thatooIam. 1.17.Jas 1:17 Father of Lights there is no variableneſſe, nor ſhadow of turning. Angels and Saints in Heaven have an unchangeable eſtate; but they are in their owne nature mutable, and are onelyonly preſerved by Him that changeth not. ppHeb. 6.18.Heb 6:18He hath ſhewen to the heires of promiſe the immutabilitie of his counſell. The not changing of the Heires depends upon the immutabilitie of their Father; whoſe Decrees, Promiſes, Acts, are all immutable. But now, hath God given ſuch a priviledge to the world? Whoever found it ſo conſtant a friend? Who ever truſted it, and was not deceived by it? But they ſay, Suppoſe that an eternall Power made the world; if the cauſe be eternall, eternall alſo muſt be the effect. How ſenſeleſſe is this reaſon? For if we ſay, The world had no beginning, becauſe the Maker had none; wee may as well ſay, The houſe muſt needes be as ancient as the Carpenter. And to alledge, That the world ſhall have no ending, becauſe God hath none; we may as well ſay, The Bread ſhall laſt as long as the Baker. So ſenſeleſſe is the reaſon, That becauſe God is everlaſting, therefore he made an everlaſting world. If they ſuppoſe the world without a Maker, as a houſe without a builder, that foundation leſſe opinion ſhall anon be refuted.

2. The Latitude, or extent: All things continue ſtatu quo prius. This is manifeſtly falſe: for there is a ſenſible decay, even a viſible declination of all things. The alacritie and vigour of the Creature is wonderfully abated; the Earth is dull and barren, in requiting the husbandmans labour; our Springs and Summers are like the children of women after fiftie. The world tooke a fall in his Cradle, as Mephiboſheth from his Nurſe; and hath pined away ever ſince. The ſtature of man is exceedingly leſſened, and yet more ſhortned is his life: wee have neither an equall portion of dayes, nor proportion of bodies with our forefathers. Now that Whole cannot be perpetuall, whoſe parts be alterable: if a hand or legge be taken from a body, it remaines not integrall, much leſſe immortall.

3. For the Longitude: There be three words that come out of their mouthes, and give the Lye to themſelves; the Creation, and Beginning, and Sleepe of the Fathers. Firſt, they confeſſe a Creation: and well are they convinced ſo to doe. For can there be a world without an Author, or efficient cauſe? How abſurd were theſe imaginations; that either the world ſhould make it ſelfe, as if a houſe could build it ſelfe: or, that ſomething in the world made the world; that is, ſome one part of it made the whole: as if the finger of a body, and that before it was a finger, did make the whole body. Something therefore more excellent and noble than the world, did make the world, and this could be nothing but God himſelfe. Secondly, they confeſſe a Beginning; why then ſhould they denie an end? Is not that Power able to diſſolve the world, that gave it being? Shall it be harder for the Architect to pull downe the houſe, than it was to build it? Could not fire deſtroy that Temple in a day, that was ſixe and …i…tie yeeres in ſetting up? But ſay others; If there was a beginning, and that in time; what buſineſſe had God before the beginning? Perfectiſsima cauſa non eſt otioſa. This is a groſſe conception of God: The Father hath not qqIoh. 8.29.John 8:29left me alone, ſaith our Saviour. Shall Chriſt p. 1176not be alone, in reſpect of his divine conjunction with the Father; and ſhall it not be alike with the Father, in regard of the Sonne; with the holy Ghoſt, in reſpect of both; with each of them, in reſpect of other? That inſeparable unitie of the Trinitie denieth to every Perſon a poſſibilitie of being alone; and that unſearchable myſterie of the fruition of his owne glory, is farre above the ſocietie of creatures, Saints, or Angels. Thirdly, they confeſſe the Sleepe of the Fathers; therefore they cannot denie their waking. They ſay not, They are dead; as if that were a full ceſſation: but, They ſleepe; to ſhew their hope of Reſurrection. Thus are they convinced with their owne words, that would denie (and ſhall never be able to doe it heartily) the mortalitie of the worlds condition. They ſee no change: what change would they ſee? Before the Deluge, ſtones did not dance, nor trees flie about the aire; houſes did not ſtand with their foundations upwards, nor the Sunne drop from Heaven: and yet a …loud of water drowned the world.

Thus much in particular: now let us generally cleare the argument. Naturall fancies are like Glaſſe; bright, but brittle? Chriſtian Religion is like Gold; rub it, beat it, melt it; it will endure the Teſt, the Touch, the Hammer, and ſtill ſhine more orient.

1In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth. This is affirmed by Moſes, and denied by Machiavel: the firſt, the Secretarie of God; the other, a Secretarie to the State of Florence: the one taught God to the world, the other filled the world with the Devill: this not of two hundred yeares ſtanding, the other of above three thouſand. To which of theſe ſhould we in reaſon give the moſt credite? Moſes hath ever beene famous, Machiavel ever infamous. All ages have reverenced Moſes: Machiavel hath onelyonly beene affectedly read by a few ſelfe-condemned reprobates.Satyr. 14. Iuvenal ſung of the honour of Moſes: Romanas ſoliti contemnere leges, Iudaicum ediſcunt, ac ſervant, ac metuunt jus, Tradidit arcano quodcunque volumine Moſes. Eight Heathens, two renowned Iewes beare witneſſe to him, in their Volumes. From his exemplar, the Pagans patterned out their ſervices to their Idoll-gods. His Bookes have been preſerved through ſo many generations, and brought to us, not by our friends, but by our very enemies; the Iewes, that deteſt us. How can we with equitie, with any equalitie, compare theſe together? Alas for our times;Ser. de lapſ. that there ſhould be any ſuch as Cyprian writes of: Hominibus contra Deum credunt, qui Deo contra homines non credunt. They will not beleeve God againſt men, that beleeve men againſt God.

2We have a cloud of witneſſes to ſecond Moſes. Thou hast made Heaven, &c. By the word of the Lord were they made, &c. Neh. 9.6. Pſal. 33.6. Be it wet or dry, be it paſſable or be it navigable, be it above or below; this Maker did create it, this Creator doth preſerve it, and this Preſerver will change it. Looke into their Philoſophers and Poets, Heſiod, Ovid; how did they borrow their Chaos from the writings of Moſes? Lucretius.Si nulla fuit generalis origo Terrarum & Coeli, ſemper que aeterus fuere; Cur ſupra bellum Thebanum & funera Troiae, Non alias alii quoque res cecimere Poetae? So Macrobius confeſſeth, that beyond Ninus he reades of no notable thing written: and therefore concludes, that both the world had a beginning, and was of ſmall antiquitie. No leſſe have they ſpoken of the worlds ending. Ovid ſayes it ſhall be burned; and that this is the diſſolution of it, appointed by deſtinie; though hee fondly applies it to a Phaeton-fire. So Lucan, of the bodies left unrited at the battell of Pharſalia; Hos Caeſar populos ſi nunc non uſſerit ignis, uret cum terris. Communis mundo ſupereſt rogus. An end preſuppoſeth a beginning, a marring implies a making. Wee cannot denie the knowne beginning of many things. Polydor Virgil hath written a whole Tract de Inventoribus rerum. To Zeno, Socrates, Ariſtotle, we are beholding for the uſe of Logicke: we know when they lived. Aristotle was Schoolemaſter to Alexander, Plato to Aristotle, Socrates to Plato, ſome foure hundred yeares before Chriſt: Zeno was a little beyond them. The Eclipſes of the Moone were prodigiouſly fearefull to the Grecians and p. 1177Romans: the knowledge of them was made familiar ſince. The yeare was reduced to the orderly courſe of the Sunne by Iulius Caeſar. Of what antiquity are kingdomes; when Nimrod mentioned by Moſes, Gen. 10.8.Gen 10:8and Ninus by the Heathen (both which are thought to be one) is held to be the firſt King? Ioſephus obſerves that the word foreign was never uſed by Homer: Lawes were not knowne; men onelyonly were ruled by the commandement of Princes. Bacchus, ſay the Ethnickes, wee know Noah was the man, firſt found out the uſe of wine. Ceres was canonized for a goddeſſe, for teaching them the uſe of corne. As we now have theſe things in ſome perfection; ſo not long ſince they were rude, and not long before that nothing. Therefore it is falſe, that all things are the ſame from the beginning. Yea, if they were not upheld by the Makers providence, they would ſoone of themſelves come to an ending.

The concord of things in diſcord; the ſtanding faſt of the earth under us, 3the running round of the heaven above us, the due function of the offices of all creatures, like ſo many Souldiers that make good their places; ſhewes there is a Generall that governes them. A well-ordered city declares, there is a Prince that rules it; though hee goe not abroad to bee ſeene. The agreement of the members, that the eyes doe not wrangle with the eares, nor the hands mutine againſt the feet, is a cleare demonſtration that the body is diſpoſed by a ſoule within. Animam tuam quis videt? Cùm ergo corpus tuum ſolum videatur, Athanaſ. Aug. in Pſalm. 73.Ps 73quare non ſepeliris? Hee ſhould bee buried that is dead, he is dead that hath no ſoule, and hee hath no ſoule (by their reaſon) if it cannot be ſeene. Wee know we have a ſoule by our motion: and why doe we not know, the world hath a ſoule by his harmony and diſpoſition? Could the heavens move round without a Mover? Will the grind-ſtone whirle about of it ſelfe, without a Turner.

Let mee ſhut up all with this one unanſwerable argument, againſt the Atheiſticall 4ſpirits that pleade the continuance of all things from the creation without change. How comes it to paſſe that Chriſt is worſhipped of all nations; his Church and Religion ſo univerſally ſpread? Is not this a change? Was it ſo from the beginning? Did thoſe famous Monarchies of the Chaldeans, Perſians, Grecians, Romans, acknowledge Chriſt before he came into the world? Hee came not untill the fulneſſe of time; and before that fulneſſe hee was onelyonly beleeved on in Iſrael; though hee was called the Expectation of nations. The Gentiles were ignorant of him; and when hee came indeed, both Iewes and Gentiles for the time refuſed him. Now ſome ſoules in all people, kingdomes, and languages adhere to him as their onelyonly Saviour. Is not this a change? What foundation could ſeeme weaker to fleſh and blood, than that confidence ſhould be put in a condemned and crucified man? What Doctrine could be more repugnant to corrupt nature, than that hee taught? For a manrrMatth. 16.24.Matt 16:24 to deny himſelfe, to take up his Croſſe, to love his enemies, to embraceſſ2 Tim. 3.12.2 Tim 3:12 perſecution for godlineſſe? If honour, pleaſure, wealth had beene promiſed; theſe might have allured many followers. But when tribulation, ſorrow, martyrdome bee the conditions of his ſervice; What but a divine Power could ſend us after him upon theſe termes? Nor have blockes and fooles, illiterate Turkes and Saracens, or groſſe and ſtupid Idolaters, beene onelyonly won to him: but Philoſophers and the rareſt Scholers, men full of all good knowledge. Even theſe have put their truſt in One that was ſhamefully crucified; and have dyed for him, who was before dead, and laid in a grave. Nor did this onelyonly hold for a while; but ſixteene hundred yeares; and ſhall to the conſummation of all things. All the ſubtilty of Machiavell ſhall never underſtand this, nor all the powers of the devill ſhall ever withſtand this. OnelyOnly Divinity tells us in one word.ttPſal. 118.23.Ps 118:23 This is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. Advertiſements.

1. Atheiſme is the maine diſeaſe of the ſoule: not onelyonly peſtilent to the perſon in whom it is harboured, but to the whole land where it is permitted. p. 1178This hath ever been ſeene and acknowledged by the policy of all nations; that a Deity is to bee worſhippped.uuAct. 17.23.Acts 17:23 The Athenians had an Altar to the unknowne God: Ignoto Deo, ſed Deo. Cicero thus pleads for the State of Rome: What is it that hath made us ſo famous? Non numero Hiſpanos, nec r…bore Gallos, nec calliditate Poenos, nec artibus Graec…s, nec native ſenſu Italos ipſos & Latinos: What then? Sed pietate & religione omnes gentes ſuperavimus. If theſe common impreſſions and notions ſealed up in every minde of man; that remnant of integrity ſurviving the fall, ſparkles of fire raked up under the aſhes; if nature within, and the creature without; Gods viſible workes, and our inviſible conſents; the inward motion of the one, and the outward motion of the other: if all theſe lights be extinguiſhed in the chambers of their hearts, and they doe wilfully impoſe on their conſciences a burden which they cannot beare, the deniall of Deity: let ſuch condemned ſpirits ripe and be rotten to perdition: let them now be diſtracted with inſufferable horrours: and at laſt, let them riſe from the ſides of the pit, malgre their ſtout contradictions, at the Iudgement of the great day to receive a deeper potion of vengeance. Ill ſhall their ſcoffes proſper with them: when they thinke they have won the greateſt prize and praiſe to their wits in putting downe God, then God ſhall ariſe in Iudgement and caſt them downe to hell. At the day of their death with conviction, and at the laſt day with confuſion, he ſhall ſhew them his terrible frownes; and teach them both that he is, and what he is. All their virulent and miſcreant poſitions ſhall periſh with them in unquenchable flames; thoſe everlaſting arguments of that Iuſtice which they have blaſphemed. They have eſteemed the Law of God no better than the device of man; and thought it as cheape an offence to contemne the divine Majeſty, as humane authority; and to deny the rights of the Godhead, (which they vainely imagine, is but imagined) as their fealty and allegiance to earthly Princes. But they that would ſtulteſere in culpâ, ſhall bee forced ſapere in paenâ: vengeance ſhall make them wiſe, whom ſinne hath made and left fooliſh.

2. We doe not forbeare to waken them from their ſupine and careleſſe opinions, wherewith they enchant their owne ſoules, and infect others. We write againſt them, wee preach againſt them, we proclaime threatnings, and threaten puniſhments, and blow the Trumpets of Gods ſevere indignation more than ſeven times about the wals of this Iericho; that their ruine and downefall is at hand. Wee let them know thataaPſalm. 59.13.Ps 59:13 God ruleth in Iacob, and unto the ends of the earth. Let them put farre away the evill day; which is never the farther off, yea ſo much the nearer them for their adjourning: and becauſe the skies doe not fall, nor the laſt fire flaſh in their proud faces; beleeve no comming at all. But it ſhall come ſoone enough to their coſt; and they ſhall finde with woe, that the Lambe they rejected, ſhall judge them: the God they denied, ſhall condemne them; and thoſe malignant ſpirits whom they never feared, ſhall torment them, and that for ever. They that would not beleeve a God, ſhall finde a devill.bbMatth. 24.48.Matt 24:48 My Lord delaieth his comming: thus cries the worſt ſervant in the houſe: (yet it is ſomething that hee grants, hee will come at laſt.) therefore hee fals to beating his fellowes, to eat and drinke with the drunken. Theſe follow their pleaſures, daunce, ſing, ſport, revell; and Where is the promiſe of his comming at all? Thus let them live in their ſinnes, according to the leading and luſting of their owne corrupted hearts: but they ſhall finde a ſtop in the courſe of the world; and the plummets of nature being downe, ſhe ſhall ſtand like a motionleſſe clocke: the Sunne ſhall ſtay his race, and the Moone no more repaire her decaying ſhine: their delights ſhall end their parts, the ſtage being taken downe, and all theſe actors turned into hell. Then ſhall they confeſſe that his comming was promiſed, and is performed: and the things that continued ſo long as from the creation, are now quite altered by the diſſolution, as if they had never been. But when the bottomleſſe pit hath ſhut her mouth upon them, this acknowledgement ſhall p. 1179be too late; not for Gods glory, but for their owne eaſe: the doore of mercy being ſhut againſt them, deſpaire and torture ſeiſing on them; and thoſe blaſphemous tongues that contradicted their Maker, not allowed one drop of water to coole them.

3. The puniſhment of Atheiſts ſhould bee ſevere and exemplary: as the higheſt indignity that can bee done to God, is to deny his Eſſence. The poore Leper in Iſrael was forced to goe with his clothes rent, his head bare, his lips cover'd; and to cry where hee paſt, I am uncleane. Till better remedy were ſound for ſo opprobious and contagious a diſeaſe, I would all Atheiſts had a rent upon their clothes, a writing on their breſts, and a brand on their foreheads; that all beholders might ſay, An Atheiſt, an Atheiſt. Protagoras abderites, becauſe he begun his Booke with a do bt; De diis, neque ut ſint, neque ut non ſint, habet dicere; was baniſhed out of Athens, and his bookes ſolemnly burnt to aſhes. The ſame Athenians committed Anaxagoras to priſon, and but for Pericles had put him to death, for but writing a booke of the Moones Ecclypſes, after that they had received her for a goddeſſe. Doe wee finde ſuch jealouſie over their fained gods in very Athenians; and ſhall the diſparagement of the honour of the One true and ever living God be tolerable among Chriſtians? Wee have read how they have uſed Paracides in Rome: they ſewed them up in a maile of leather, and threw them into the ſea: yet ſo, that neither the water of the ſea could ſoake through, nor other element of nature, Earth, Aire, or Fire, approch unto them. Certainly every creature is too good for him that denies the Creator: nor can they bee farther ſeparated from heaven, or pitched deeper into hell, than they deſerve, that would beleeve neither. Yea, they doe miſtruſt both, whatſoever they pretend; and Tully ſpake of Metrodorus an Atheiſt in his time: Nec quemquam vidi, qui magis ea timeret, quae timenda eſſe negaret. They that make a flout of hell; Affirmant mihi, & tibi, non ſibi: noctu, non interdiù: Their mouths tell us ſo, their hearts doe not tell their mouths ſo. No hell? if they had as many provinces as Ahaſuerus had, they would give an hundred and ſixe and twenty of them, to be ſure of it.

4. Wee read of Serpents that will never bee charmed, whether with policy or melody. Sure, the conſciences of evill men are ſuch Serpents, (and therefore their wounds are called ſtings of conſcience) which can bee over-ruled by no arguments or temptations of Satan, to let goe the ſenſe of a Godhead. You may ſooner get a conſcience to beleeve all the fables in the Popiſh Legend, or Turkiſh Alcoran; than that this univerſall frame is without a Minde. Prima est haec ultio, quod ſe Iudice nemo nocens abſolvitur. It is not a more ſweet friend to the innocent, than to the guilty a terrible foe: a man had better have all the world againſt him, than his owne conſcience. What ailed Iudas? His Maſter was ſafe enough in the clutches of his enemies, the Scribes and Phariſies was on his ſide, the King was not diſpleaſed at him, no Law threatned any proceeding againſt him; his bones were full of marrow, his purſe full of money: What ſhould hinder his heart from being full of jollity? Alas, Intra illum, quod contrae illum: his conſcience purſues him, from chamber to chamber, from bed to boord, from ſociety to ſolitarineſſe: this Dogge ſtill followes him, and never gives him over, till hee caſts away himſelfe on his owne galhouſe.Ambr. Si Arbitrum non vides, teipſum non vides? Testimonium cordis non vereris?

Indeed, cuſtome of ſinne ſtupefies conſcience: and while a man continues alike in his wickedneſſe, he thinkes the world alſo continues alike in her ſtedfaſtneſſe: he dreames of no beginning or end, whether of that or of himſelfe. His conſcience ſleepes like a tame beaſt within, and he rages like a wild beaſt abroad. But at laſt they will change conditions: he ſhall be the the tame beaſt, and his conſcience the wild, that will prey upon him for ever. Man ſhall dye, but his conſcience cannot: it ſhall appeare with him, when he is ſummoned to appeare p. 1180before the Iudge: and he ſhall cry out as Ahab, Hast thou found me, O thou mine enemy? As the ſeale makes an impreſſion on the waxe, diſcernible to the eye: ſo the memory of every ſinne is engraven, as with the point of a Diamond, on the conſcience,Tertul. not to bee blotted out, but by the blood of Ieſus Chriſt. Thy conſcience may loſe thee, thou canſt never loſe thy conſcience. Obumbrari potest, quia non est Deus: extingui non potest, quia est a Deo. This ſtill troubles them with the ſolicitous repreſentations of Gods anger: this ſtops their pillowes with knives and Thornes; this puts Colloquintide into all their banquets; this like a ſcolding wife fetcheth her husband from Taverns: this ſo diſquieteth their godleſſe hearts, that they know not whither their body be more weary of their ſoule, or their ſoule of their body. Theſe might dwell peaceably together, while both did reverence their Maker. But when that Iezabel, Atheiſme, for the ſafer maintenance of her whoredomes and witchcrafts, hath renounced this beleefe and ſervice; Conſcience comes like Iehu, driving furiouſly, with What peace? Nulla pax impiis. Then runs the Epicure to his pleaſures, carouſing cups of Bacchus, ſporting with the waiting women of Venus; Pan and Apollo muſt cheare him with their minſtralſies: and what's all this? Hee was none of the wiſeſt, that being wearied, and lying downe to reſt by the way; when his head was ſomewhat too low, tooke the pitcher that lay by him, and put it under in ſtead of a pillow: but feeling it too hard, hee be thought himſelfe, and ſtopped it with feathers; thinking then it would be wonderous eaſie. So vaine and comfortleſſe are all worldly joyes, when they are uſed to mitigate the pangs of conſcience: ſo miſerable is the eſtate of theſe reprobates: they are not quiet while they live, and they ſhall never bee quiet when they are dead. But for us that know and profeſſe the One and onelyonly God for ever to bee bleſſed; let us feare him (without feare) as his adopted ſonnes, and obey him (without hypocriſie) as his faithfull ſervants. So at the great day of his comming to judge the ends of the earth, wee ſhall receive a happy reward, even the inheritance of his owne Sonne IESVS CHRIST.