Existence and Attributes of God, Discourse 1 (1 of 3)

Existence and Attributes of God · Discourse 1 (1 of 3)

p. 1A DISCOURSE UPON THE Exiſtence of God.

Pſalm 14.1.

The fool hath ſaid in his heart, there is no God; they are corrupt, they have done abominable Works: there is none that doth good.

THIS Pſalm is a deſcription of the deplorable corruption by Nature of every Son of Adam, ſince the withering of that Common Root. Some reſtrain it to the Gentiles, as a Wilderneſs full of Bryars and Thorns, as not concerning the Jews, the Garden of God, planted by his Grace, and watered by the Dew of Heaven. But the Apoſtle, the beſt Interpreter, rectifies this in extending it by name to Jews, as well as Gentiles, Rom. 3.9. [We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under ſin.] And v. 10.11, 12. Cites part of his Pſalm and other paſſages of Scripture for the further evidence of it, concluding by Jews and Gentiles, every perſon in the world naturally in this State of Corruption.

The Pſalmiſt firſt declares the Corruption of the faculties of the Soul, the fool hath ſaid in his heart. Secondly, the ſtreams iſſuing from thence, they are corrupt, &c. the firſt in Atheſtical principles, the other in unworthy practices; and lays all the Evil, Tyranny, Luſt and Perſecutions by men, (as if the World were only for their ſake) upon the neglects of God, and the Atheiſm cheriſhed in their hearts.

The fool, a term in Scripture ſignifying a wicked man, uſed alſo by the Heathen Philoſophers to ſignifie a vicious perſon, foreign as coming from foreign ſignifies the extinction of life in Men, Animals and Plants, ſo the word foreign is taken**Iſa. 40.7. foreign the flower fadeth Iſa. 28.1.Isa 40:7Isa 28:1, a plant that hath loſt all that juyce that made it lovely and uſeful. So a fool is one that hath loſt his Wiſdom, and right notion of God and Divine things which were communicated to man by creation; one dead in ſin, yet one not ſo much void of rational faculties as of Grace in thoſe faculties, not one that wants reaſon, but abuſes his reaſon: In Scripture the word ſignifies fooliſh.‖‖Mais foreign and foreign put together Deut. 32.6. Oh fooliſh people and unwiſe.Deut 32:6

* Said in his heart, that is, he thinks, or he doubts, or he wiſhes. The thoughts of the heart are in the nature of words to God, though not to men. Tis uſed in the like caſe of the Atheiſtical perſon, Pſal. 10.11.13. He hath ſaid in his heart, God hath forgotten, he hath ſaid in his heart thou wilt not require it. He doth not form a Syllogiſm, as Calvin ſpeaks, that there is no God: he dares not openly publiſh it, though he dares ſecretly think it. He can not raſe out the thoughts of a Deity, though he endeavors to blot thoſe Characters of God in his Soul. He hath ſome doubts whither there be a God or no: He wiſhes there were not any, and ſometimes hopes there is none at all. He could not ſo aſcertain him ſelf by convincing arguments to produce to the World, but he tampered with his own heart to bring it to that perſwaſion, and ſmothered in himſelf thoſe notices of a Deity; which is ſo plain againſt the light of nature, that ſuch a man may well be called a fool for it.

p. 2There is no God **foreign No God] foreign non poteſtas Domini, Chaldae. Tis not Jehovah, which name ſignifies the Eſſence of God, as the Prime and Supream being; But Eloahia, which name ſignifies the Providence of God,**Muis. God as a Rector and Judge. Not that he denyes the Exiſtence of a Supream being, that Created the World, but his regarding the Creatures, his Government of the world, and conſequently his reward of the Righteous or Puniſhments of the Wicked.

**Cocceius.There is a threefold denyal of God, 1. Quoad exiſientiam; this is abſolute Atheiſm, 2. Quoad Providentiam, or his inſpection into, or care of the things of the World, bounding him in the Heavens, 3. Quoad naturam, in regard of one or other of the perfections due to his nature.

Not owning him as the Egyptians called, foreignOf the denyal of the Providence of God moſt underſtand this**Eugubin in cloc. not excluding the abſolute Atheiſt, as Diagoras is reported to be, nor the Sceptical Atheiſt, as Protagoras, who doubted whither there were a God. Thoſe that deny the Providence of God, do in effect deny the being of God; for they ſtrip him of that Wiſdom, Goodneſs, Tenderneſs, Mercy, Juſtice, Righteouſneſs, which are the Glory of the Deity. And that principle, of a greedy deſire to be uncontroul'd in their Luſts, which induceth men to a denyal of Providence, that thereby they might ſtifle thoſe ſeeds of fear which infect and embitter their ſinful pleaſures, may as well lead them to deny that there is any ſuch being as a God.

That at one blow, their fears may be daſht all in peices and diſſolved by the removal of the Foundation: As men who deſire liberty to commit works of darkneſs, would not have the lights in the Houſe dimm'd, but extinguiſhed. What men ſay againſt Providence, becauſe they would have no check in their Luſts, they may ſay in their hearts againſt the exiſtence of God upon the ſame account; little difference between the diſſenting from the one and diſowning the other.

They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doth good.

He ſpeaks of the Atheiſt in the ſingular, the fool; of the corruption iſſuing in the life in the plural; Intimating that though ſome few may choak in their hearts the ſentiments of God and his Providence, and poſitively deny them, yet there is ſomething of a ſecret Atheiſm in all which is the fountain of the evil practices in their lives, not an utter diſowning of the Being of a God, but a denyal or doubting of ſome of the rights of his nature:**Atheiſm abſolute is not in all mens judgements, but practical is in all mens actions. The Apoſtle in the Romans applying the later part of it to all mankind, but not the former. As the word tranſlated corrupt ſignifies. When men deny the God of purity they muſt needs be polluted in Soul and Body and grow brutiſh in their actions: When the ſenſe of Religion is ſhaken off, all kind of wickedneſs is eagerly ruſht, into, whereby they become as loathſome to God as putrified carcaſes are to men:**Atheiſm abſolute is not in all mens judgements, but practical is in all mens actions. The Apoſtle in the Romans applying the later part of it to all mankind, but not the former. As the word tranſlated corrupt ſignifies. Not one or two evil actions is the product of ſuch a principle, but the whole ſcene of a mans life is corrupted and becomes execrable.

No man is exempted from ſome ſpice of Atheiſm by the depravation of his nature, which the Pſalmiſt intimates, there is none that doth good: Though there are indelible convictions of the being of a God that they cannot abſolutely deny it; yet there are ſome Atheiſtical bublings in the hearts of men, which Evidence themſelves in their actions: As the Apoſtle, Tit. 1.16. They profeſs that they know God, but in works they deny him. Evil works are a duſt ſtirred up by an Atheiſtical breath. He that habituates himſelf in ſome ſordid luſt, can ſcarcly be ſaid ſeriouſly and firmly to believe that there is a God in being, and the Apoſtle doth not ſay that they know God, but they profeſs to know him: True knowledge and profeſſion of knowledge are diſtinct. It intimates alſo to us, the unreaſonableneſs of Atheiſm in the Conſequence, when men ſhut their eyes againſt the beams of ſo clear a ſun, God revengeth himſelf upon them for their impiety, by leaving them to their own wills, lets them fall into the deepeſt ſink and dregs of iniquity; and ſince they doubt of him in their hearts, ſuffers them above others to deny him in their works, this the Apoſtle diſcourſeth at large**Rom. 1.24.Rom 1:24.

The Text then is a deſcription of mans Corruption.

1. Of his mind. The fool hath ſaid in his heart. No better title than that of a fool is afforded to the Atheiſt.

2. Of the other faculties, 1. In ſins of Commiſſion, expreſt by the loathſomeneſs [corrupt, abominable] 2. In ſins of Ommiſſion [there is none that doth good] he lays down the Corruption of the mind as the cauſe, the corruption of the other faculties as the effect.

p. 3I. Doct. 1 'Tis a great Folly to deny or doubt of the Exiſtence or Being of God. Or, An Atheiſt is a great Fool.

II. Practical Atheiſm is natural to man in his corrupt State. 'Tis againſt Nature as conſtituted by God, but Natural, as Nature is depraved by Man: The abſolute diſowning of the Being of a God is not natural to men, but the contrary is natural; but an inconſideration of God, or miſ-repreſentation of his Nature, is natural to Man as corrupt.

III. A ſecret Atheiſm, or a partial Atheiſm is the Spring of all the wicked Practices in the world: The diſorders of the Life ſpring from the ill diſpoſitions of the Heart.

For the firſt, every Atheiſt is a Grand Fool. If he were not a Fool, he would not imagine a thing ſo contrary to the ſtream of the Univerſal Reaſon of the world, contrary to the rational Dictates of his own Soul, and contrary to the Teſtimony of every Creature, and Link in the Chain of Creation: If he were not a Fool, he would not ſtrip himſelf of Humanity, and degrade himſelf lower than the moſt deſpicable Brute.

'Tis a Folly, for tho God be ſo Inacceſſible, that we cannot know him perfectly, yet he is ſo much in the light, that we cannot be totally ignorant of him: As he cannot be comprehended in his Eſſence, he cannot be unknown in his Exiſtence, 'tis as eaſie by Reaſon to underſtand that he is, as it is difficult to know what he is.

The Demonſtrations Reaſon furniſheth us with for the Exiſtence of God, will be Evidences of the Atheiſt's Folly. One would think there were little need of ſpending time in evidencing this Truth, ſince in the Principle of it, it ſeems to be ſo univerſally own'd, and at the firſt propoſal and demand, gains the aſſent of moſt men.

But 1. Doth not the growth of Atheiſm among us render this Neceſſary? may it not juſtly be ſuſpected, that the ſwarms of Atheiſts are more numerous in our times, than Hiſtory Records to have been in any age, when men will not only ſay it in their hearts, but publiſh it with their lips, and boaſt that they have ſhaken of thoſe Shackles which bind other mens Conſciences? Doth not the bare-fac'd Debauchery of men evidence ſuch a ſetled Sentiment, or at leaſt a careleſs Beleif of the truth, which lies at the root and ſprouts up in ſuch venemous branches in the World? Can mens hearts be free from that Principle wherewith their Practices are ſo openly depraved? 'Tis true, the light of Nature ſhines too vigorouſly for the Power of Man totally to put it out; yet loathſom Actions impair and weaken the actual thoughts and conſiderations of a Deity, and are like Miſts that darken the light of the Sun, though they cannot extinguiſh it: their Conſciences as a Candleſtick, muſt hold it, though their unrighteouſneſs obſcure it, Rom. 1.18. [Who hold the Truth in Ʋnrighteouſneſs.] The engraved Characters of the Law of Nature remain, though they dawb them with their muddy Luſts to make them illegible: So that ſince the inconſideration of a Deity is the cauſe of all the wickedneſs and extravigancies of men; and as Auſtin ſaith, the Propoſition is always true, the Fool hath ſaid in his heart, &c. and more evidently true in this age than any, it will not be unnecſſeary to diſcourſe of the Demonſtrations of this firſt Principle.

The Apoſtles ſpent little time in urgng this Truth, it was taken for granted all over the world, and they were generally devout in the Worſhip of thoſe Idols, they thought to be Gods: That age run from one God to many, and our age is running from one God to none at all.

2. The Exiſtence of God, is the Foundation of all Religion. The whole Building totters if the Foundation be out of Courſe: If we have not deliberate and right Notions of it, we ſhall perform no Worſhip, no Service, yeild no affection to him. If there be not a God, 'tis impoſſible there can be one; for Eternity is Eſſential to the notion of a God; ſo all Religion would be vain, and unreaſonable to pay Homage to that which is not in being, nor can ever be. We muſt firſt beleive that he is, and that he is what he declares himſelf to be, before we can ſeek him, adore him, and devote our Affections to him:**Heb. 11.6.Heb 11:6 We cannot pay God a due and regular Homage, unleſs we underſtand him in his Perfections, what he is; and we can pay him no Homage at all, unleſs we beleive that he is.

3. 'Tis ſit, we ſhould know why we beleive, that our Beleif of a God, may appear to be upon undeniable Evidence, and that we may give a better reaſon for his Exiſtence, than that we have heard our Parents and Teachers tell us ſo, and our p. 4acquaintance think ſo. 'Tis as much as to ſay there is no God, when we know not why we believe there is, and would not conſider the Arguments for his Exiſtence.

4. It is neceſſary to depreſs that ſecret Atheiſm which is in the heart of every man by nature. Though every viſible object which offers it ſelf to our ſenſe, preſents a Deity to our minds, and exhorts us to ſubſcribe to the truth of it, yet there is a Root of Atheiſm ſpringing up ſometimes in wavering thoughts, and fooliſh imaginations, inordinate actions, and ſecret wiſhes. Certain it is, that every man that doth not love God, denyes God; now can he that diſaffects him, and hath a ſlaviſh fear of him, wiſh his Exiſtence, and ſay to his own heart with any chearfulneſs, there is a God, and make it his cheif care to perſwade himſelf of it? he would perſwade himſelf there is no God, and ſtifle the ſeeds of it in his Reaſon and Conſcience, that he might have the greateſt liberty to intertain the allurements of the Fleſh.

'Tis neceſſary to Excite men to daily and actual conſiderations of God and his nature, which would be a bar to much of that wickedneſs which overflows in the lives of men.

5. Nor is it unuſeful to thoſe who effectually beleive and love him; **Coccei Sum. Theol. c. 8. § 1.for thoſe who have had a converſe with God, and felt his powerful influences in the ſecrets of their hearts, to take a proſpect of thoſe ſatisfactory accounts which reaſon gives of that God they adore and love; to ſee every Creature juſtifie them in their owning of him, and affections to him: Indeed the Evidences of a God ſtriking upon the Conſcience of thoſe who reſolve to cleave to ſin as their cheifeſt darling, will daſh their pleaſures with unwelcome mixtures.

I ſhall further premiſe this.

That the folly of Atheiſm is evidenced by the light of Reaſon. Men that will not liſten to Scripture, as having no counterpart of it in their Souls, cannot eaſily deny natural Reaſon, which riſeth up on all ſides for the juſtification of this Truth: There is a natural as well as a revealed Knowledg, and the Book of the Creatures is legible in declaring the Being of a God, as well as the Scriptures are in declaring the Nature of a God; there are outward objects in the World, and common Principles in the Conſcience, whence it may be inferr'd,

For, 1. God in regard of his Exiſtence is not only the diſcovery of Faith, but of Reaſon. God hath revealed not only his Being, but ſome ſparks of his eternal Power and Godhead in his Works, as well as in his Word. Rom. 1.19, 20. God hath ſhewed it unto them, how?**Aquin. in his works; by the things that are made, tis a diſcovery to our Reaſon, as ſhining in the Creatures; and an object of our Faith as breaking out upon us in the Scriptures: 'tis an Article of our Faith, and an Article of our Reaſon. Faith ſuppoſeth natural knowledge, as Grace ſuppoſeth nature. Faith indeed is properly of things above Reaſon, purely depending upon Revelation: What can be demonſtrated by natural light, is not ſo properly the object of Faith; though in regard of the addition of a certainty by Revelation it is ſo.

The beleif that God is, which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of,**Heb. 11.6.Heb 11:6 is not ſo much of the bare Exiſtence of God, as what God is in Relation to them that ſeek to him, viz. a Rewarder. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Faith of Abel, the Faith of Enoch, ſuch a Faith that pleaſes God: But the Faith of Abel teſtified in his ſacrifice, and the Faith of Enoch teſtified in his walking with God, was not ſimply a Faith of the Exiſtence of God. Cain in the time of Abel, other men in the World in the time of Enoch, beleived this as well as they: But it was a Faith joyned with the Worſhip of God, and deſires to pleaſe him in the way of his own appointment; ſo that they beleived that God was ſuch as he had declared himſelf to be in his promiſe to Adam, ſuch an one as would be as good as his word, and bruiſe the Serpents head: He that ſeeks to God according to the mind of God, muſt beleive that he is ſuch a God that will pardon ſin, and juſtifie a ſeeker of him; that he is a God of that ability and will, to Juſtifie a ſinner in that way he hath appointed for the clearing the Holineſs of his Nature, and vindicating the Honour of his Law violated by man.

No man can ſeek God or love God, unleſs he beleive him to be thus, and he cannot ſeek God without a diſcovery of his own mind how he would be ſought. p. 5For it is not a ſeeking God in any way of mans Invention, that renders him capable of this deſired fruit of a Reward: He that beleives God as a Rewarder, muſt beleive the promiſe of God concerning the Meſſiah. Men under the Conſcience of ſin, cannot tell without a divine diſcovery, whither God will reward, or how he will reward the ſeekers of him; and therefore cannot act towards him as an object of Faith. Would any man ſeek God meerly becauſe he is, or love him becauſe he is, if he did not know that he ſhould be acceptable to him? The bare Exiſtence of a thing is not the ground of affection to it, but thoſe qualities of it and our intereſt in it, which render it amiable and delightful. How can men whoſe Conſciences ſly in their faces, ſeek God or love him, without this knowledge that he is a Rewarder? Nature doth not ſhew any way to a ſinner, how to reconcile Gods provoked Juſtice with his Tenderneſs. The Faith the Apoſtle ſpeaks of here, is a Faith that eyes the reward as an encouragement, and the Will of God as the Rule of its acting, he doth not ſpeak ſimply of the Exiſtence of God.

I have ſpoken the more of this place, becauſe the Socinians **Voet. Theol natural. cap. 3. § 1. p. 22.uſe this to decry any natural knowledge of God, and that the Exiſtence of God is only to be known by Revelation, ſo that by that reaſon any one that lived without the Scripture hath no ground to beleive the being of a God.

[The Scripture aſcribes a knowledge of God to all Nations in the world, Rom. 1.19. not only a faculty of knowing, if they had arguments and demonſtrations; as an ignorant man in any art hath a faculty to know; but it aſcribes an actual knowledge ver. 19. manifeſt in them, ver. 21. They knew God, not they might know him, they knew him when they did not care for knowing him: the notices of God are as intelligible to us by reaſon, as any object in the world is viſible, he is written in every Letter.

2. We are often in the Scripture ſent to take a proſpect of the Creatures for a diſcovery of God. The Apoſtles drew arguments from the Topicks of nature, when they diſcourſed with thoſe that owned the Scripture, Rom. 1.19. As well as when they treated with thoſe that were ignorant of it; as Acts 14.16, 17. And among the Philoſophers of Athens, Acts 17.27, 29. ſuch arguments the Holy Ghoſt in the Apoſtles thought ſufficient to convince men of the Exiſtence, Unity, Spirituality and Patience of God.**Voet Theol. natural. cap. 3. § 1. p. 22. Such arguments had not been uſed by them and the Prophets from the viſible things in the world to ſilence the Gentiles with whom they dealt, had not this Truth, and much more about God, been demonſtrable by natural Reaſon: they knew well enough that probable arguments would not ſatisfie peircing and inquiſitive minds.

In Pauls account, the Teſtimony of the Creatures was without contradiction; God himſelf juſtifies this way of proceeding by his own example, and remits Job to the conſideration of the Creatures, to ſpell out ſomething of his Divine Perfections.**Job. 28.39.40. &c. Tis but one truth in Philoſophy and Divinity, That which is falſe in one, cannot be true in another; Truth in what appearance ſo ever doth never contradict it ſelf.Job 28:39Job 28:40 And this is ſo convincing an argument of the Exiſtence of God, that God never vouchſafed any Miracle, or put forth any act of Omnipotency, beſides what was evident in the Creatures for the ſatisfaction of the Curioſity of any Atheiſt, or the evincing of his Being, as he hath done for the Evidencing thoſe Truths which were not written in the book of nature, or for the reſtoring a decayed worſhip, or the protection or deliverance of his people: Thoſe Miracles in publiſhing the Goſpel, indeed did demonſtrate the exiſtence of ſome ſupream Power; but they were not ſeals deſignedly affixt for that, but for the confirmation of that truth, which was above the ken of purblind Reaſon, and purely the birth of Divine Revelation: Yet what proves the Truth of any Spiritual Doctrine, proves alſo in that act the Exiſtence of the Divine Author of it: The Revelation alwayes implies a Revealer, and that which manifeſts it to be a Revelation, manifeſts alſo the ſupream Revealer of it. By the ſame light the Sun manifeſts other things to us, it alſo manifeſts it ſelf. But what Miracles could rationally be ſuppoſed to work upon an Atheiſt, who is not drawn to a ſence of the Truth proclaimed aloud by ſo many wonders of the Creation?

Let us now proceed to the demonſtration of the Atheiſts Folly.

Tis a Folly to deny or doubt of a Soveraign Being, incomprehenſible in his Nature, infinite in his Eſſence and Perfections, independent in his Operations, who hath given Being to the whole frame of ſenſible and intelligible Creatures, and governs p. 6them according to their ſeveral natures, by an unconceivable Wiſdom; who fills the Heavens with the Glory of his Majeſty, and the Earth with the influences of his Goodneſs.

'Tis a Folly inexcuſable, to renounce in this caſe all appeal to univerſal conſent, and the joynt aſſurances of the Creatures.

Reaſon 1. 'Tis a Folly to deny or doubt of that which hath been the acknowledged Sentiment of all Nations, in all places and ages. There is no Nation but hath owned ſome kind of Religion, and therefore no Nation but hath conſented in the notion of a ſupream Creator and Governor.

1. This hath been univerſal.

2. It hath been conſtant and uninterrupted.

3. Natural and innate.

Firſt, I. It hath been univerſally aſſented to by the Judgments and practices of all Nations in the World.

1. No Nation hath been exempt from it. All Hiſtories of former and latter Ages have not produced any one Nation but fell under the force of this Truth. Though they have differed in their Religions, they have agreed in this Truth; here both Heathen, Turk, Jew and Chriſtian, center without any Contention. No quarrel was ever commenced upon this ſcore; though about other opinions Wars have been ſharp and Enmities Irriconcilable; The notion of the Exiſtence of a Deity was the ſame in all, Indians as well as Britains; Americans as well as Jews.

It hath not been an opinion peculiar to this or that people, to this or that Sect of Philoſophers; but hath been as univerſal as the reaſon whereby men are differenc'd from other Creatures, ſo that ſome have rather defin'd man by animal religioſum, then animal rationale. 'Tis ſo twiſted with Reaſon that a man cannot be accounted rational, unleſs he own an object of Religion: Therefore he that underſtands not this, renounceth his Humanity when he renounceth a Divinity.

No inſtance can be given of any one people in the World that diſclaimed it. It hath been owned by the Wiſe and ignorant, by the learned and ſtupid, by thoſe who had no other guide but the dimmeſt light of Nature, as well as by thoſe whoſe Candles were ſnuft by a more polite Education, and that without any ſolemne debate and contention: Though ſome Philoſophers have been known to change their opinions in the concerns of Nature, yet none can be proved to have abſolutely changed their opinion concerning the Being of a God: One died for aſſerting one God, none in the former Ages upon record hath died for aſſerting no God. Go to the utmoſt bounds of America, you may find people without ſome broken peices of the Law of nature, but not without this ſignature and ſtamp upon them, though they wanted commerce with other Nation; except as Savage as themſelves, in whom the light of nature was as it were ſunk into the Socket, who are but one remove from Brutes, who cloath not their bodies, cover not their ſhame, yet were they as ſoon known to own a God, as they were known to be a people: they were poſſeſſed with the Notion of a Supream Being, the Author of the World, had an object of Religious adoration, put up Prayers to the Deity they owned for the good things they wanted, and the diverting the evils they feared: no people ſo untamed where abſolute perfect Atheiſm hath gained a footing.

Not one Nation of the World known in the time of the Romans that were without their Ceremonies, whereby they ſignified their devotion to a Deity. They had their places of Worſhip, where they made their Vows, preſented their Prayers, offered their Sacrifices, and implored the Aſſiſtance of what they thought to be a God. And in their diſtreſſes run immediatly, without any deliberation, to their Gods, ſo that the notion of a Deity was as inward and ſetled in them as their own Souls, and indeed runs in the blood of mankind: the diſtempers of the underſtanding, cannot utterly deface it, you ſhall ſcarce find the moſt diſtracted Bedlam in his raving ſits to deny a God, though he may Blaſpheme and fancy himſelf one.

2. Nor doth the Idolatry and multiplicity of Gods in the World weaken, but confirm this univerſal conſent. Whatſoever unworthy conceits men have had of God in all Nations, or whatſoever degrading repreſentations they have made of him, yet p. 7they all concur in this, that there is a Supream Power to he ador'd. Tho one People worſhipped the Sun, others the Fire, and the Egyptians, gods out of their Rivers, Gardens, and Fields; yet the Notion of a Deity exiſtent, who created and governed the World, and conferred daily benefits upon them, was maintained by all, tho applyed to the Stars, and in part to thoſe ſordid Creatures. All the Dagons of the World eſtabliſh this Truth, and fall down before it. Had not the Nations owned the Being of a God, they had never offered Incenſe to an Idol: Had there not been a deep impreſſion of the Exiſtence of a Deity, they had never exalted Creatures below themſelves to the honour of Altars: Men could not ſo eaſily have been deceived by forged Deities, if they had not had a Notion of a real one. Their fondneſs to ſet up others in the place of God, evidenced a natural knowledg that there was one, who had a right to be worſhipped. If there were not this ſentiment of a Deity no man would ever have made an Image of a peice of Wood, worſhipp'd it, pray'd to it, and ſaid deliver me for thou art my God **Iſa. 44.17.Isa 44:17. They applyed a general Notion to a perticular Image. The difference is in the manner, and immediate object of worſhip, not in the formal ground of worſhip. The worſhip ſprung from a true Principal, though it was not applyed to a right object: While they were rational Creatures, they could not deface the Notion; yet while they were corrupt Creatures it was not difficult to apply themſelves to a wrong object from a true principle. A blind man knows he hath a way to go as well as one of the cleareſt ſight, but becauſe of his blindneſs he may miſs the way and ſtumble into a Ditch. No man would be impos'd upon to take a Briſtol Stone inſtead of a Diamond, if he did not know that there were ſuch things as Diamonds in the World: nor any man ſpread forth his hands to an Idol, if he were altogether without the ſenſe of a Deity. Whether it be a falſe or a true God men apply to, yet in both, the natural ſentiment of a God is evidenc'd; all their miſtakes were grafts inſerted in this Stock, ſince they would multiply gods rather than deny a Deity.

**Charron de la Sageſſe Livr. 1. Cha. 7. p. 43. 44.How ſhould ſuch a general ſubmiſſion be entered into the by all the world, ſo as to adore things of a baſe alloy, if the force of Religion were not ſuch, that in any faſhion a man would ſeek the ſatisfaction of his natural inſtinct to ſome object of worſhip? This great diverſity confirms this conſent, to be a good argument, for it evidenceth it not to be a Cheat, combination or conſpiracy to deceive, or a mutual intelligence, but every one finds it in his climate, yea in himſelf.**Gaſſend. Phyſ. § 1. lib. 4. Ca. 2. p. 291. People would never have given the Title of a God to men or Brutes, had there not been a preexiſting and unqueſtioned perſwaſion, that there was ſuch a Being, how elſe ſhould the Notion of a God come into their minds, the Notion that there is a God muſt be more ancient.

3. Whatſoever diſputes there have been in the World, this of the exiſtence of God was never the ſubject of contention. All other things have been queſtioned. What Jarrings were there among Philoſophers about natural things, into how many parties were they ſplit, with what animoſities did they maintain their ſeveral judgments? but we hear of no ſolemn Controverſies about the Exiſtence of a Supream Being: this never met with any conſiderable contradiction: no Nation, that hath put other things to queſtion, would ever ſuffer this to be diſparaged, ſo much as by a publick doubt.**Amyrant des Religion p. 50. We find among the Heathen contentions about the Nature of God and the number of gods; ſome aſſerted an innumerable multitude of gods, ſome affirmed him to be ſubject to birth and death, ſome affirmed the intire World was God; others fancied him to be a circle of a bright Fire; others that he was a Spirit diffuſed through the whole World: Yet they unanimouſly concurr'd in this, as the judgment of Univerſal Reaſon, that there was ſuch a ſovereign Being: And thoſe that were ſceptical in every thing elſe, and aſſerted that the greateſt certainty was that there was nothing certain, profeſt a certainty in this. The queſtion was not whether there was a Firſt Cauſe, but why it was.**Gaſſend. Phyſ. § 1. l…b 4. Ca. 2. p. 291. 'Tis much the ſame thing, as the diſputes about the Nature and matter of the Heavens, the Sun and Planets, tho there be great diverſity of Judgments, yet all agree that there are Heavens, Sun, Planets; ſo all the Contentions among men about the Nature of God, weaken not, but rather confirm, that there is a God, ſince there was never a publick formal debate about his Exiſtence. Thoſe that have been ready to pull out one anothers p. 8eyes for their diſſent from their judgments, ſharply cenſured one anothers ſentiments, envied the births of one anothers wits, alwayes ſhook hands with an unanimous conſent in this; never cenſured one another for being of this perſwaſion, never called it into queſtion; as what was never controverted among men profeſſing Chriſtianity, but acknowledged by all, though contending about other things, has reaſon to be judged a certain Truth belonging to the Chriſtian Religion; ſo what was never ſubjected to any Controverſy, but acknowledged by the whole World, hath reaſon to be imbraced as a Truth without any doubt.

4. This Ʋniverſal Conſent is not prejudiced by ſome few Diſſenters. Hiſtory doth not reckon twenty profeſt Atheiſts in all Ages in the compaſs of the whole World:Gaſſend. Phyſ. § 1. lib. 4. cap. 7. p. 282. and we have not the name of any one abſolute Atheiſt upon Record in Scripture: yet it is queſtioned, whether any of them, noted in Hiſtory with that infamous name, were down-right denyers of the Exiſtence of God, but rather becauſe they diſparaged the Deities commonly worſhipped by the Nations where they lived, as being of a clearer reaſon to diſcern, that thoſe qualities, vulgarly attributed to their gods, as luſt and luxury, wantonneſs and quarrels, were unworthy of the nature of a God. But ſuppoſe they were really what they are termed to be, what are they to the multitude of men, that have ſprung out of the loyns of Adam? not ſo much as one grain of aſhes is to all that were ever turned into that form by any fires in your Chimnies. And many more were not ſufficient to weigh down the contrary conſent of the whole World, and bear down an univerſal impreſſion. Should the Laws of a Country, agreed univerſally to, by the whole Body of the People be accounted vain, becauſe a hundred men of thoſe millions diſapprove of them, when not their reaſon, but their folly and baſe intereſt, perſwades them to diſlike them and diſpute againſt them?**Gaſſend. ibid. p. 290. What if ſome men be blind, ſhall any conclude from thence that eyes are not natural to men? ſhall we ſay that the notion of the Exiſtence of God is not natural to men, becauſe a very ſmall number have been of a contrary opinion? ſhall a man in a dungeon, that never ſaw the Sun, deny that there is a Sun, becauſe one or two blind men tell him there is none, when thouſands aſſure him there is? Why ſhould then the exceptions of a few, not one to millions, diſcredit that which is voted certainly true by the joynt conſent of the World? Add this too, that if thoſe that are reported to be Atheiſts had had any conſiderable reaſon to ſtep aſide from the common perſwaſion of the whole world, 'tis a wonder it met not with entertainment by great numbers of thoſe, who, by reaſon of their notorious wickedneſs, and inward diſquiets, might reaſonably be thought to wiſh in their hearts that there were no God. 'Tis ſtrange if there were any reaſon on their ſide, that in ſo long a ſpace of time, as hath run out from the Creation of the World, there could not be engaged a conſiderable number to frame a Society for the profeſſion of it. It hath died with the Perſon that ſtarted it, and vaniſh'd as ſoon as it appeared.

To conclude this, is it not folly for any man to deny or doubt of the being of a God, to diſſent from all mankind, and ſtand in contradiction to humane Nature? What is the general dictate of Nature is a certain Truth. 'Tis impoſſible, that Nature can naturally and univerſally lie. And therefore thoſe that aſcribe all to Nature, and ſet it in the Place of God, contradict themſelves, if they give not credit to it in that which it univerſally affirms.‖‖Cicero. A general conſent of all Nations is to be eſteemed as a Law of Nature. Nature cannot plant in the minds of all men an aſſent to a falſity, for then the Laws of Nature would be deſtructive to the reaſon and minds of men. How is it poſſible, that a falſity ſhould be a perſwaſion ſpread through all Nations, engraven upon the minds of all men, men of the moſt towring, and men of the moſt creeping underſtanding; that they ſhould conſent to it in all places, and in thoſe places, where the Nations have not had any known commerce with the reſt of the known World? A Conſent not ſettled by any Law of Man to conſtrain People to a belief of it: And indeed 'tis impoſſible, that any Law of man can conſtrain the Belief of the mind. Would not he deſervedly be accounted a fool, that ſhould deny that to be gold, which hath been tryed and examined by a great number of knowing Goldſmiths, and hath paſt the teſt of all their touch-ſtones? what exceſs of folly would it be for him to deny it to be true gold, if it had been tryed by all that had skill in that metal in all Nations in the World?

p. 9Secondly, 2. It hath been a conſtant and uninterrupted conſent. It hath been as Ancient as the firſt age of the World; no man is able to mention any time, from the beginning of the World, wherein this Notion hath not been univerſally owned; tis a old as man-kind, and hath run along with the courſe of the Sun, nor can the date be fixed lower than that.

1. Firſt, In all the changes of the World, this hath been maintained. In the overturnings of the Government of States, the alteration of Modes of Worſhip this hath ſtood unſhaken. The reaſons upon which it was founded were in all Revolutions of time accounted ſatisfactory and convincing, nor could abſolute Atheiſm in the changes of any Laws ever gain the favour of any one Body of people to be eſtabliſhed by a Law. When the Honour of the Heathen Idols was laid in the duſt, this ſuffered no impair. The being of one God was more vigorouſly owned, when the unreaſonableneſs of multiplicity of Gods was manifeſt; and grew taller by the detection of counterfeits. When other parts of the Law of nature have been violated by ſome Nations, this hath maintained its ſtanding. The long ſeries of Ages hath been ſo far from blotting it out, that it hath more ſtrongly confirmed it, and maketh further progreſs in the confirmation of it. Time which hath eaten out the ſtrength of other things and blaſted meer inventions, hath not been able to conſume this. The diſcovery of all other Impoſtures, never made this by any ſociety of men to be ſuſpected as one. It will not be eaſy to name any Impoſture that hath walked perpetually in the world without being diſcovered, and whipped out by ſome Nation or other. Falſities have never been ſo univerſally and conſtantly owned without publick controul and queſtion. And ſince the world hath detected many errors of the former age, and learning been increaſed, this hath been ſo far from being dimm'd, that it hath ſhone out clearer with the increaſe of natural knowledge, and received freſh and more vigorous confirmations.

2. The fears and anxieties in the Conſciences of men, have given men ſufficient occaſion to root it out, had it been poſſible for them to do it. If the Notion of the Exiſtence of God, had been poſſible to have been daſht out of the minds of men, they would have done it rather than have ſuffered ſo many troubles in their Souls upon the Commiſſion of ſin; ſince there did not want wickedneſs and wit in ſo many corrupt ages to have attempted it and proſpered in it, had it been poſſible. How comes it therefore to paſs that ſuch a multitude of profligate perſons that have been in the world ſince the fall of man, ſhould not have rooted out this principle, and diſpoſteſt the minds of men of that which gave birth to their tormenting fears? How is it poſſible that all ſhould agree together in a thing which created fear, and an obliligation againſt the Intereſt of the Fleſh, if it had been free for men to diſcharge themſelves of it? No man, as far as corrupt nature bears ſway in him, is willing to live contrould.

The firſt Man, would rather be a God himſelf than under one:**Gen. 3.5.Gen 3:5 Why ſhould men continue this Notion in them, which ſhackled them in their vile inclinations, if it had been in their power utterly to deface it? If it were an Impoſture, how comes it to paſs that all the wicked ages of the world could never diſcover that to be a cheat, which kept them in continual alarums? Men wanted not will to ſhake off ſuch apprehenſions; As Adam, ſo all his Poſterity are deſirous to hide themſelves from God upon the Commiſſion of ſin,**Gen. 3.9.Gen 3:9 and by the ſame reaſon they would hide God from their Souls. What is the reaſon they could never attain their will, and their wiſh by all their endeavours? Could they poſſibly have ſatisfied themſelves that there were no God, they had diſcarded their fears, the diſturbers of the repoſe of their lives, and been unbridled in their pleaſures. The wickedneſs of the world would never have preſerved that which was a perpetual moleſtation to it, had it been poſſible to be raſed out.

But ſince men under the turmoils and laſhes of their own Conſciences could never bring their hearts to a ſetled diſſent from this Truth, it evidenceth, that as it took its birth at the beginning of the world, it cannot expire, no not in the aſhes of it, nor in any thing but the reduction of the Soul to that nothing from whence it ſprung. This conception is ſo perpetual, that the nature of the Soul muſt be diſſolved before it be rooted out, nor can it be extinct whiles the Soul endures.

3. Let it be conſidered alſo by us that own the Scripture, that the Devil deems it p. 10impoſſible to root out this ſentiment. It ſeems to be ſo perpetually fixed, that the Devil did not think fit to tempt man to the denial of the Exiſtence of a Deity, but perſwaded him to beleive he might aſcend to that Dignity and become a God himſelf, Gen. 3.1. Hath God ſaid? and he there owns him ver. 5. Ye ſhall become as Gods. He owns God in the queſtion he asks the Woman, and perſwades our firſt Parents to be Gods themſelves. And in all ſtories both Ancient and Modern, the Devil was never able to Tincture mends minds, with a profeſſed denial of the Deity, which would have opened a door to a world of more wickedneſs than hath been acted, and took away the bar to the breaking out of that evil, which is naturally in the hearts of men, to the greater prejudice of human ſocieties. He wanted not malice to raſe out all the Notions of God, but power: He knew it was impoſſible to effect it, and therefore in vain to attempt it. He ſet up himſelf in ſeveral places of the ignorant world as a God, but never was able to overthrow the opinion of the being of a God: The impreſſions of a Deity were ſo ſtrong as not to be ſtruck out by the malice and power of Hell.

What a folly is it then in any to contradict or doubt of this Truth, which all the periods of time have not been able to wear out; which all the Wars and Quarrels of men with their own Conſciences have not been able to deſtroy; which Ignorance and Debauchery, its two greateſt Enemies, cannot weaken; which all the falſehoods and errors, which have reigned in one or other part of the world, have not been able to baniſh; which lives in the conſents of men in ſpight of all their wiſhes to the contrary, and hath grown ſtronger and Shone clearer by the improvements of natural reaſon?

3. Natural and innate; which pleads ſtrongly for the perpetuity of it. Tis natural tho ſome think it not a Principle writ in the heart of man;**Pink. Eph. 6. pag. 10. 11.Eph 6 tis ſo natural that every man is born with a reſtleſs inſtinct to be of ſome kind of Religion or other, which implies ſome object of Religion. The impreſſion of a Deity is as common as reaſon, and of the ſame age with reaſon.**King. en Jonah pag. 16. Tis a Relique of knowledg after the fall of Adam, like fire under aſhes, which ſparkles as ſoon as ever the heap of aſhes is opened. A notion ſealed up in the Soul of every man;**Amyrant des Religious pag. 6. 5. 8. 9. elſe how could thoſe people who were unknown to one another, ſeparate by Seas and Mounts, differing in various cuſtomes and manner of living, had no mutual intelligence one with another, light upon this as a common Sentiment, if they had not been guided by one uniforme reaſon in all their minds, by one nature common to them all: though their Clymates be different, their tempers and conſtitutions various, their imaginations in ſomethings as diſtant from one another as Heaven is from Earth, the Ceremonies of their Religion not all of the ſame kind; Yet wherever you find human nature, you find this ſetled perſwaſion. So that the Notion of a God ſeems to be twiſted with the nature of man, and is the firſt natural branch of Common reaſon, or upon either the firſt inſpection of a man into himſelf and his own ſtate and conſtitution, or upon the firſt ſight of any external viſible object. Nature within man, and nature without man agree upon the firſt meeting together to form this Sentiment, that there is a God. Tis as natural as any thing we call a Common Principle. One thing which is called a Common Principle and natural is, that the whole is greater than the parts. If this be not born with us, yet the exerciſe of reaſon eſſential to man ſettles it as a certain Maxim; upon the dividing any thing into ſeveral parts, he finds every part leſs than when they were altogether. By the ſame exerciſe of reaſon, we cannot caſt our eyes upon any thing in the world, or exerciſe our underſtandings upon our ſelves, but we muſt preſently imagine, there was ſome cauſe of thoſe things, ſome cauſe of my ſelf and my own being; ſo that this Truth is as natural to man as any thing he can call moſt natural or a Common Principle.

It muſt be confeſt by all, that there is a Law of nature writ upon the hearts of men, which will direct them to commendable actions, if they will attend to the writing in their own Conſciences. This Law cannot be conſidered without the notice of a Law-giver. For tis but a natural and obvious concluſion, that ſome ſuperior hand engrafted thoſe principles in man, ſince he finds ſomething in him twitching him upon the purſuit of uncomely actions, though his heart be mightily enclined to them; man knows he never planted this principle of Reluctancy in his own Soul; he can never be the cauſe of that, which he cannot be friends with. If he were the cauſe of it, why doth he not rid himſelf of it? No man would endure a thing that doth frequently moleſt and diſquiet him if he could caſheir it. Tis therefore ſown in man by ſome hand more powerful than man, which riſeth ſo high and is rooted ſo ſtrong, that all the force p. 11that man can uſe cannot pull it up. If therefore this principle be natural in man, and the Law of Nature be natural, the Notion of a Law-giver muſt be as natural, as the Notion of a Printer or that there is a Printer is obvious upon the ſight of a ſtamp impreſt: After this the multitude of effects in the World ſtep in to ſtrengthen this beam of natural light, and the direct Concluſion from thence is, that that power which made thoſe outward objects, implanted this inward principle: This is ſown in us, born with us and ſprouts up with our growth, or as one ſaith**Cha…le… tis like Letters carved upon the bark of a young plant which grows up together with us and the longer it grows the Letters are more legible.

This is the ground of this univerſal conſent, and why it may well be termed natural.

This will more evidently appear to be natural becauſe,

1. This conſent could not be by meer Tradition.

2. Nor by any mutual intelligence of Governors to keep people in aw, which are two things the Atheiſt pleads, the firſt hath no ſtrong foundation, and that other is as abſurd and fooliſh as it is wicked and abominable.

3. Nor was it fear firſt introduced it.

1. It could not be my meer Tradition. Many things indeed are entertained by poſterity which their Anceſtors delivered to them, and that out of a common reverence to their Fore-Fathers, and an opinion that they had a better proſpect of things than the increaſe of the corruption of ſuceeding ages would permit them to have.

But if this be a Tradition handed from our Anceſtors, they alſo muſt receive it from theirs, we muſt then aſcend to the firſt man, we cannot elſe eſcape a confounding ourſelves with running into infinite; was it then the only Tradition he left to them, is it not probable he acquainted them with other things in conjunction with this, the nature of God, the way to Worſhip him, the manner of the Worlds Exiſtence, his own ſtate? We may reſonably ſuppoſe him to have a good ſtock of knowledge, what is become of it? It cannot be ſuppoſed, that the firſt man ſhould acquaint his poſterity with an object of Worſhip, and leave them ignorant of a Mode of Worſhip and of the end of Worſhip, we find in Scripture his immediate poſterity did the firſt in Sacrifices, and without doubt they were not ignorant of the other: how come Men to be ſo uncertain in all other things, and ſo confident of this, if it were only a Tradition? how did debates and irreconcilable queſtions ſtart up concerning other things, and this remain untouch'd, but by a ſmall number? whatſoever Tradition the firſt Man left beſides this, is loſt, and no way recoverable, but by the Revelation God hath made in his Word.

How comes it to paſs this of a God is longer liv'd, than all the reſt which we may ſuppoſe Man left to his immediate deſcendents? How come men to retain the one, and forget the other? What was the reaſon this ſurviv'd the ruin of the reſt, and ſurmounted the uncertainties into which the other ſunk? Was it likely it ſhould be handed down alone without other attendants on it at firſt? Why did it not expire among the Americans, who have loſt the account of their own deſcent, and the Stock from whence they ſprung, and cannot reckon above eight hundred or a thouſand years at moſt? Why was not the manner of the worſhip of a God tranſmitted as well as that of his Exiſtence? How came men to diſſent in their Opinions concerning his Nature, whether he was corporeal or incorporeal, finite or infinite, omnipreſent or limited? Why were not men as negligent to tranſmit this of his Exiſtence as that of his Nature? No reaſon can be rendred for the ſecurity of this above the other, but that there is ſo clear a tincture of a Deity upon the minds of men, ſuch traces and ſhadows of him in the creatures, ſuch indelible inſtincts within, and invincible arguments without to keep up this univerſal conſent. The Characters are ſo deep that they cannot poſſibly be raſed out, which would have been one time or other, in one Nation or other, had it depended only upon Tradition, ſince one Age ſhakes off frequently the Sentiments of the former.

I cannot think of above one which may be called a Tradition, which indeed was kept up among all Nations, viz. Sacrifices, which could not be natural but inſtituted: What ground could they have in Nature, to imagin that the blood of Beaſts could expiate and waſh off the guilt and ſtains of a rational Creature? Yet they p. 12had in all places (but among the Jews, and ſome of them only) loſt the knowledg of the reaſon and end of the Inſtitution, which the Scripture acquaints us was to typifie and ſignifie the Redemption by the Promiſed Seed. This Tradition hath been ſuperannuated and laid aſide in moſt parts of the World, while this Notion of the Exiſtence of a God hath ſtood firm.

But ſuppoſe it were a Tradition, was it likely to be a meer intention and figment of the firſt Man? Had there been no reaſon for it, this Poſterity would ſoon have found out the weakneſs of its Foundation: What advantage had it been to him to tranſmit ſo great a falſhood to kindle the fears or raiſe the hopes of his Poſterity, if there were no God? It cannot be ſuppoſed he ſhould be ſo void of that natural affection, men in all ages bear to their Deſcendents, as ſo groſly to deceive them, and be ſo contrary to the ſimplicity and plainneſs which appears in all things neareſt their Original.

2. Neither was it by any mutual Intelligence of Governours among themſelves to keep people in ſubjection to them. If it were a political deſign at firſt, it ſeems it met with the general nature of Mankind very ready to give it entertainment.

I. It is unaccountable how this ſhould come to paſs. It muſt be either by a joynt Aſſembly of them, or a mutual Correſpondence. If by an Aſſembly, who were the perſons? let the name of any one be mentioned, When was the time? Where was the place of this appearance? By what Authority did they meet together? Who made the firſt motion, and firſt ſtarted this great Principle of Policy? By what means could they aſſemble from ſuch diſtant parts of the World? humane Hiſtories are utterly ſilent in it, And the Scripture, the antienteſt Hiſtory gives an account of the attempt of Babel, but not a word of any deſign of this nature.

What mutual Correſpondence could ſuch have, whoſe Intereſts are for the moſt part different, and their deſigns contrary to one another? How could they who were divided by ſuch vaſt Seas have this mutual Converſe? How could thoſe who were different in their Cuſtoms and Manners, agree ſo unanimouſly together in one thing to gull the People? If there had been ſuch a Correſpondence between the Governours of all Nations, what is the reaſon ſome Nations ſhould be unknown to the world till of late times? How could the buſineſs be ſo ſecretly managed, as not to take Vent, and Iſſue in a diſcovery to the World? Can reaſon ſuppoſe ſo many in a joynt Conſpiracy, and no mans Conſcience in his life under ſharp Afflictions, or on his death bed, when Conſcience is moſt awakened, conſtrain him to reveal openly the Cheat that beguil'd the World? How came they to be ſo uanimous in this Notion, and to differ in their Rites almoſt in every Country? why could they not agree in one Mode of Worſhip throughout all the World, as well as in this univerſal Notion? If there were not a mutual intelligence, it can not be conceived how in every Nation ſuch a ſtate-Engineer ſhould riſe up with the ſame trick to keep people in aw. What is the reaſon we cannot find any Law in any one Nation to conſtrain men to the beleif of the Exiſtence of a God, ſince politick Stratagems have been often fortified by Laws? Beſides, ſuch men make uſe of Principles received to effect their Contrivances, and are not ſo impolitick as to build deſignes upon Principles that have no Foundation in nature: Some Heathen Law-givers have pretended a converſe with their Gods to make their Laws be received by the people with a greater veneration, and fix with ſtronger obligation the obſervance and perpetuity of them; but this was not the introducing of a new Principle, but the ſuppoſition of an old received Notion, that there was a God, and an application of that Principle to their preſent deſigne. The pretence had been vain had not the notion of a God been ingrafted: Politicians are ſo little poſſeſſed with a Reverence of God, that the firſt Mighty one in the Scripture, (which may reaſonably gain with the Atheiſt the credit of the Ancienteſt Hiſtory in the World) is repreſented without any fear of God.**Gen. 10.9. Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord.Gen 10:9 An Invader and Oppreſſor of his Neighbors, and reputed the Introducer of a new Worſhip, and being the firſt that built Cities after the flood, (as Cain was the firſt Builder of them before the flood,) built alſo Idolatry with them. And erected a new Worſhip, and was ſo far from ſtrengthing that Notion the people had of God, that he endeavoured to corrupt it; The firſt Idolatry in common Hiſtories being noted to proceed from that part of the World; the Ancienteſt Idol being at Babylon, and ſuppoſed to be firſt invented by this Perſon: Whence by the way perhaps p. 13Rome is in the Revelations called Babylon, with reſpect to that ſimilitude of their Saint-Worſhip, to the Idolatry firſt ſet up in that place.**Or if we underſtand it as ſome think that he defended his invaſions under a pretext of the preſerving Religion, it aſſures us that there was a notion of an object of Religion before, ſince no Religion can be without an object of Worſhip. Tis evident Politicians have often changed the Worſhip of a Nation, but it is not upon record that the firſt thoughts of an object of Worſhip ever entred into the minds of people by any trick of theirs.

But to return to the preſent Argument, the Being of a God is owned by ſome Nations, that have ſcarce any form of policy among them. Tis as wonderful how any wit ſhould hit upon ſuch an Invention, as it is abſur'd to aſcribe it to any humane device, if there were not prevailing Arguments to conſtrain the conſent. Beſides, how is it poſſible they ſhould deceive themſelves? What is the reaſon the greateſt Politicians have their fears of a Deity upon their unjuſt practices, as well as other men, they intended to befool? How many of them have had forlorn Conſciences upon a Death bed, upon the conſideration of a God to anſwer an account to in another world? Is it credible they ſhould be frighted by that wherewith they knew they beguiled others? No man ſatisfying his pleaſures would impoſe ſuch a deceipt upon himſelf o render and make himſelf more miſerable than the Creatures he hath dominion over.

2. It is unaccountable how it ſhould indure ſo long a time. That this Policy ſhould be ſo fortunate as to gain ground in the Conſciences of men, and exerciſe an Empire over them, and meet with ſuch an univerſal ſucceſs. If the Notion of a God were a a State-Engine and introduced by ſome Politick Grandees for the eaſe of Government, and preſerving people with more facility in order, how comes it to paſs the firſt broachers of it were never upon record? there is ſcarce a falſe opinion vented in the World, but may as a ſtream be traced to the firſt head and fountain. The Inventors of particular forms of worſhip are known, and the reaſons why they preſcribed them known; but what Grandee was the Author of this? who can pitch a time and perſon that ſprung up this Notion? If any be ſo inſolent as to impoſe a cheat, he can hardly be ſuppoſed to be ſo ſucceſsful as to deceive the whole world for many ages: Impoſtures paſs not free through the whole world without Examination and diſcovery; Falſities have not been univerſally and conſtantly owned without controul and queſtion. If a cheat impoſeth upon ſome Towns and Countries, he will be found out by the more peircing enquiries of other places; and it is not eaſy to name any Impoſture that hath walked ſo long in its diſguiſe in the World, without being unmasked and whipped out by ſome Nation or other: If this had been a meer trick, there would have been as much craft in ſome to diſcern it as there was in others to contrive it. No Man can be imagined ſo wiſe in a Kingdom, but others may be found as wiſe as himſelf: And it is not conceivable, that ſo many clear ſighted men in all ages ſhould be ignorant of it, and not endeavour to free the world from ſo great a falſity.**Fotherby a Theomaſtix, p. 64. It cannot be found that a trick of State ſhould always beguile men of the moſt piercing inſights, as well as the moſt credulous: That a few crafty men ſhould befool all the wiſemen in the world; and the world lie in a beleif of it and never like to be freed from it. What is the reaſon the ſucceeding Politicians never knew this Stratagem, ſince their Maxims are uſually handed to their Succeſſors?And there is not a Richlieu but leaves his Axioms to a Mazarine.

This perſwaſion of the Exiſtence of God, ows not it ſelf to any Impoſture or ſubtelty of Men: If it had not been agreable to common Nature and Reaſon, it could not ſo long have born ſway. The impoſed yoke would have been caſt off by Multitudes; Men would not have charged themſelves with that which was attended with conſequences diſpleaſing to the Fleſh, and hindred them from a full ſwing of their rebellious Paſſions; ſuch a ſhackle would have mouldred of it ſelf, or been broke by the extravigances humane nature is enclin'd unto: The wickedneſs of men without queſtion, hath prompted them to endeavour to unmask it, if it were a Coſenage, but could never yet be ſo ſucceſsful as to free the world from a perſwaſion, or their own Conſciences from the tincture of the Exiſtence of a Deity. It muſt be therefore of an ancienter Date than the Craft of States-men, and deſcend into the world with the firſt appearance of humane nature. Time, which hath rectified many Errors, improves this Notion, makes it ſhock down its roots deeper and ſpread its branches larger

It muſt be a natural Truth that ſhines clear by the detection of thoſe Errors that have befooled the World, and the wit of Man is never able to name any humane p. 14Author that firſt inſinuated it into the beleifs of men.

3. Nor was it Fear firſt introduced it. Fear is the Conſequent of Wickedneſs. As Man was not created with any inherent ſin, ſo he was not created with any terrifying fears, the one had been againſt the Holineſs of the Creator, the other againſt his Goodneſs: Fear did not make this Opinion, but the Opinion of the Being of a D…ity was the cauſe of this Fear, after his ſenſe of angring the Deity by his Wickedneſs. The Object of Fear is before the Act of Fear; there could not be an Act of Fear exerciſed about the Deity, till it was beleived to be exiſtent, and not only ſo, but Offended: For God as exiſtent only, is not the Object of Fear or Love; 'tis not the Exiſtence of a thing that excites any of thoſe Affections, but the Relation a thing bears to us in particular. God is good and ſo the object of Love, as well as juſt and thereby the object of Fear. He was as much called Love, **foreignand Mens, or Mind in regard of his Goodneſs and Underſtanding, by the Heathens, as much as by any other Name. Neither of thoſe names were proper to inſinuate Fear; neither was Fear the firſt Principle that made the Heathens worſhip a God; they offered Sacrifices out of Gratitude to ſome, as well as to others out of Fear; the fear of Evils in the world, and the hopes of Releif and Aſſiſtance from their Gods, and not a terrifying Fear of God, was the principal Spring of their Worſhip: When Calamities from the hands of Men, or Judgments by the influences of Heaven were upon them, they implored that which they thought a Deity; It was not their Fear of him, but a Hope in his Goodneſs and Perſwaſion of Remedy from him, for the averting thoſe Evils that rendred them Adorers of a God: If they had not had preexiſtent Notions of his Being and Goodneſs, they would never have made Addreſſes to him, or ſo frequently ſought to that they only apprehended as a terrifying Object:**Gaſſend. Phyſ. ſect. 1. l. 4. c. 2. p. 291. 292. When you hear men calling upon God in a time of affrighting Thunder, you cannot imagin that the fear of Thunder did firſt introduce the Notion of a God, but implies that it was before apprehended by them, or ſtampt upon them, though their Fear doth at preſent actuate that Beleif, and engage them in a preſent Exerciſe of Piety: and whereas the Scripture ſaith the fear of God is the beginning of Wiſdom, or of all Religion;**Pro. 9.16. Pſal. 111.10.Prov 9:16Ps 111:10 'tis not underſtood of a diſtracted and terrifying Fear, but a reverential Fear of him, becauſe of his holineſs, or a worſhip of him, a ſubmiſſion to him, and ſincere ſeeking of him.

Well then is it not a folly for an Atheiſt to deny that which is the reaſon and common Sentiment of the whole world, to ſtrip himſelf of humanity, run counter to his own Conſcience, prefer a private before a univerſal Judgment, give the lie to his own nature and reaſon, aſſert things impoſſible to be proved, nay impoſſible to be acted, Forge irrationalities for the ſupport of his fancy againſt the common perſwaſion of the world and againſt himſelf and ſo much of God as is manefeſt in him and every man**Rom. 1.19.Rom 1:19?

Jupiter eſt quodcunque vides, &c.II. It is a folly to deny that which all Creatures or all things in the World manifeſt. Let us view this in Scripture ſince we acknowledge it, and after conſider the arguments from natural reaſon.

The Apoſtle reſolves it, Rom. 1.19, 20. The inviſible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly ſeen, being underſtood by the things that are made, even his Eternal power and Godhead, ſo that they are without excuſe: They know or might know, by the things that were made, the Eternity and power of God; their ſence might take a Circuit about every object, and their minds collect the being and ſomthing of the perfections of the Deity: The firſt diſcourſe of the mind upon the ſight of a delicate peice of workman-ſhip, is the Concluſion of the being of an Artificer and the admiration of his skill and induſtry. The Apoſtle doth not ſay, the inviſible things of God are beleived, or they have an opinion of them, but they are ſeen and clearly ſeen: They are like Criſtal glaſſes which give a clear repreſentation of the Exiſtence of a Deity, like that Mirrour reported to be in a Temple in Arcadia, which repreſented to the Spectator, not his own face, but the Image of that Deity which he Worſhipped.

The whole world is like a looking-glaſs, which whole and entire repreſents the Image of God, and every broken peice of it, every little ſhred of a Creature doth the like, not only the great ones, Elephants and the Leviathan, but Ants, Flies, Worms, whoſe bodies rather then names we know: The greater Cattle and the Creeping things Gen. 1.24. Not naming there any intermediate Creature, to direct us to view him in p. 15the ſmaller Letters, as well as the greater Characters of the World. His name is Glorious and his Attributes are excellent in all the Earth, **Pſal. 8.1.Ps 8:1in every Creature, as the glory of the Sun is in every beam and ſmaller flaſh; he is ſeen in every Inſect, in every Spire of graſs: The voice of the Creator is in the moſt contemptible Creature:**Banes in Aquin. Par. 2. Qu. 2. Artic. 2. pa. 78. Col. 2.Col 2 The Apoſtle adds that they are ſo clearly ſeen, that men are inexcuſable if they have not ſome knowledge of God by them; if they might not certainly know them, they might have ſome excuſe: So that his Exiſtence is not only probably but demonſtratively proved from the things of the world.

Eſpecially the Heavens declare him, which God ſtretches out like a Curtain, **Pſal. 104.2.Ps 104:2or as ſome render the word, a Skin, whereby is ſignified, that Heaven is as an open book, which was Anciently made of the skins of beaſts, that by the knowledge of them we may be taught the knowledge of God. Where Scripture was not revealed the world ſerved for a witneſs of a God; what ever arguments the Scripture uſes to prove it, are drawn from nature, (though indeed it doth not ſo much prove as ſuppoſe the Exiſtence of a God) but what Arguments it uſes are from the Creatures, and particularly the Heavens, which are the publick Preachers of this Doctrin: The breath of God ſounds to all the World through thoſe Organ-pipes. His Being is viſible in their Exiſtence, his Wiſdom in their frame, his Power in their motion, his Goodneſs in their uſefulneſs:**For their voice goeth to the end of the Earth, Pſal. 19.1, 2.Ps 19:1Ps 19:2 They have a voice, and their voice is as intelligible as any common Language. And thoſe are ſo plain Heralds of a Deity, that the Heathen miſtook them for Deities, and gave them a particular adoration which was due to that God they declared. The firſt Idolatry ſeems to be of thoſe Heavenly bodies, which began probably in the time of Nimrod. In Jobs time it is certain they admired the Glory of the Sun, and the brightneſs of the Moon, not without kiſſing their hands, a ſign of Adoration.**Job. 31.26.27.Job 31:26Job 31:27 Tis evident a man may as well doubt whither there be a Sun when he ſees his beams guilding the Earth, as doubt whither there be a God when he ſees his works ſpread in the World.

The things in the World declare the Exiſtence of a God.

1. In their Production, 2. Harmony, 3. Preſervation, 4. Anſwering their ſeveral ends.

Firſt, 1. In their production. The declaration of the Exiſtence of God was the chief end for which they were Created, that the Notion of a Supream and Independent Eternal Being, might eaſier incur into the active underſtanding of man from the objects of ſenſediſperſed in every corner of the World, that he might pay a homage and devotion to the Lord of all, Iſa. 40.12, 13, 18, 19. &c. Have you not underſtood from the foundation of the Earth, tis he that ſits upon the Circle of the Heaven, &c. How could this great heap be brought into being, unleſs a God had framed it? Every plant, every Atome, as well as every Star, at the firſt meeting whiſpers this in our Ears, I have a Creator, I am witneſs to a Deity; who ever ſaw Statues or Pictures but preſently thinks of a Statuary and Limner? Who beholds Garments, Ships or Houſes, but underſtands there was a Weaver, a Carpenter, an Architect?**Philo. ex Petav. Theolo. Dog. Tom 1. li. 1. cap. 1, pa. 4. ſomewhat changed. Who can caſt his eyes about the world, but muſt think of that power that formed it, and that the goodneſs which appears in the formation of it hath a perfect Reſidence in ſome Being? [thoſe things that are good muſt flow from ſomthing perfectly good: that which is chief in any kind is the cauſe of all of that kind. Fire which is moſt hot is the cauſe of all things which are hot. There is ſome being therefore which is the cauſe of all that Perfection, which is in the Creature; and this is God. Aquin. 1 qu. 2. Artic. 3.] All things that are, demonſtrate ſomething from whence they are. All things have a contracted perfection and what they have is Communicated to them. Perfections are parcelled out among ſeveral Creatures. Any thing that is imperfect cannot exiſt of it ſelf. We are led therefore by them to conſider a fountain which bubbles up in all perfection; a hand which diſtributes thoſe ſeveral degrees of Being and Perfection to what we ſee; we ſee that which is imperfect, our minds conclude ſomthing perfect to exiſt before it; our eye ſees the ſtreams, but our underſtanding riſeth to the head: as the eye ſees the ſhadow, but the underſtanding informs us whither it he the ſhadow of a man, or of a beaſt.

God hath given us Senſe to behold the objects in the World, and Underſtanding to reaſon his Exiſtence from them; the underſtanding cannot conceive a thing to have made it ſelf; that is againſt all reaſon.**Rom. 1.20.Rom 1:20 As they are made they ſpeak out a Maker; and cannot p. 16be a trick of chance, ſince they are made with ſuch an immenſe Wiſdom, that is too big for the graſp of all humane underſtanding. Thoſe that doubt whither the Exiſtence of God be an implanted Principle, yet agree that the effects in the world lead to a ſupream and univerſal cauſe: And that if we have not the knowledge of it rooted in our Natures, yet we have it by diſcourſe, ſince by all Maſters of reaſon a Proceſſus in Infinitum muſt be accounted impoſſible in ſubordinate cauſes.

This will appear in ſeveral things.

Firſt, I. The World and every Creature had a beginning. The Scripture Aſcertains this to us;**Gen. 1. By Faith we underſtand that the worlds were framed by the word of God &c.Gen 1 David who was not the firſt man gives the praiſe to God of his being curiouſly wrought, &c. Pſal. 139.14.15. God gave being to Men and Plants and Beaſts, before they gave being to one another. He gives being to them now as the Fountain of all being, though the ſeveral Modes of being are from the ſeveral natures of ſecond cauſes.**Heb. 11.3.Heb 11:3

Tis true indeed we are aſcertained that they were made by the true God, that they were made by his word, that they were made of nothing, and not only this lower world wherein we live, but according to the Jewiſh diviſion the world of Men, the the world of Stars and the world of Spirits, and Souls: We do not waver in it or doubt of it as the Heathen did in their diſputes, we know they are the workmanſhip of the true God, of that God we adore, not of falſe Gods: By his Word, without any inſtrument or engin, as in earthly S…ructures; of things which do not appear, without any preexiſtent matter, as all Artificial works of men are framed.

Yet the proof of the beginning of the world is affirmed with good reaſon; and if it had a beginning, it had alſo ſome higher cauſe than it ſelf: Every effect hath a cauſe.

**Daille 20. Serm. Pſa. 102.26. pa. 13. 14.Ps 102:26The World was not Eternal or from Eternity. The matter of the world cannot be Eternal: Matter cannot ſubſiſt without form, nor put on any form without the action of ſome cauſe, this cauſe muſt be in being before it acted; that which is not cannot act. The cauſe of the world muſt neceſſarily exiſt before any matter was endued with any form; that therefore cannot be Eternal before which another did ſubſiſt; if it were from Eternity it would not be ſubject to mutation: If the whole was from Eternity why not alſo the parts, what makes the changes ſo viſible then, if Eternity would exempt it from mutability?

1. Time cannot be infinite, and therefore the World not Eternal; **Daille ut Supra.All motion hath its beginning, if it were otherwiſe, we muſt ſay the number of Heavenly revolutions of days and nights, which are paſt to this inſtant, is actually infinite, which cannot be in nature: If it were ſo, it muſt needs be granted, that a part is equal to the whole; becauſe infinite being equal to infinite, the number of days paſt in all Ages to the beginning of one year being Infinite (as they would be, ſuppoſing the World had no beginning) would by conſequence be equal to the number of days, which ſhall paſs to the end of the next; whereas that number of days paſt is indeed but a part, and ſo a part would be equal to the whole.

2. Generations of Men, Animals and Plants could not be from Eternity. **Petar. Theo. Dogmat. tom. 1. lib. 1. cap. 2. pag. 15.If any Man ſay the world was from Eternity, then there muſt be propagations of living Creatures in the ſame manner as are at this day: For without this the World could not conſiſt; what we ſee now done muſt have been perpetually done, if it be done by a neceſſity of nature: But we ſee nothing now that doth ariſe but by a mutual propagation from another: If the world were Eternal therefore, it muſt be ſo in all Eternity: take any particular ſpecies, ſuppoſe a man, if men were from Eternity, then there were perpetual generations, ſome were born into the World and ſome died: Now the natural condition of generation is, that a man doth not generate a man, nor a Sheep a Lamb, as ſoon as ever it ſelf is brought into the World, but get ſtrength and vigour by degrees, and muſt arrive to a certain ſtated age before they can produce the like, for whilſt any thing is little and below the due age, it cannot increaſe its kind; Men therefore and other Creatures did propagate their kind, by the ſame Law, not as ſoon as ever they were born, but in the interval of ſome time, and Children grew up by degrees in the Mothers Womb till they were fit to be brought forth: If this be ſo, then there could not be an Eternal ſucceſſion of propagating: For there is no Eternal continuation of time: Time is always to be conceived as having one part before another: But that perpetuity of Nativities is p. 17always after ſome time, wherein it could not be for the weakneſs of age: If no man then can conceive a propagation from Eternity, there muſt be then a beginning of Generation in time, and conſequently the Creatures were made in time.