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

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

p. 312. In the admirable difference of the features of Men. Which is a great argument that the world was made by a wiſe Being: This could not be wrought by Chance or be the work of meer nature, ſince we find never or very rarely two perſons exactly alike. This diſtinction is a part of infinite wiſdom; otherwiſe what confuſion would be introduced into the World? Without this, Parents could not know their Children, nor Children their Parents, nor a Brother his Siſter, nor a Subject his Magiſtrate: Without it there had been no comfort of Relations, no p. 32Government, no commerce: Debtors would not have been known from ſtrangers, nor good men from bad: Propriety could not have been preſerved, nor juſtice executed; the innocent might have been apprehended for the nocent; wickedneſs could not have been ſtopt by any Law.

The Faces of men are the ſame for parts, not for features: A diſſimilitude in a likeneſs. Man, like to all the reſt in the World, yet unlike to any, and differenced by ſome mark from all, which is not to be obſerved in any other ſpecies of Creatures. This ſpeaks ſome wiſe Agent which framed man; ſince for the preſervation of human ſociety and order in the world, this diſtinction was neceſſary.

Secondly, II. As mans own nature witneſſeth a God to him in the ſtructure of his body, ſo alſo in the nature of his Soul. **Co…cei. ſam. Theolog. cap. 8. § 50.51.We know that we have an underſtanding in us; a ſubſtance we cannot ſee, but we know it by its operations; as thinking, reaſoning, willing, remembring; And as operating about things that are inviſible and remote from ſenſe: This muſt needs be diſtinct from the body, for that being but duſt and Earth in its original, hath not the power of reaſoning, and thinking; for then it would have that power, when the Soul were abſent, as well as when it is preſent. Beſides, if it had that power of thinking, it could think only of thoſe things which are ſenſible and made up of matter, as it ſelf is. This Soul hath a greater excellency, it can know it ſelf, rejoyce in it ſelf, which other Creatures in this world are not capable of: The Soul is the greateſt glory of this lower world, and as one ſaith;**More. There ſeems to be no more difference between the Soul and an Angel, than between a Sword in the Scabbard and when it is Out of the Scabbard.

Firſt, I. Conſider the vaſtneſs of its capacity. The underſtanding can conceive the whole world, and paint in it ſelf the inviſible Pictures of all things. Tis capable of apprehending and diſcourſing of things ſuperior to its own nature. [**Culverwel. Tis ſuted to all objects, as the Eye to all Colours, or the Ear to all ſounds.] How great is the Memory to retain ſuch varieties, ſuch diverſities? The Will alſo can accomodate other things to it ſelf. It invents Arts for the uſe of Man; preſcribes rules for the Government of States; ranſacks the bowels of nature; makes endleſs concluſions, and ſteps in reaſoning from one thing to another, for the knowledge of Truth; It can contemplate and form notions of things higher than the world.

2. The quickneſs of its motion. [**Theodoret. Nothing is more quick in the whole courſe o… nature; the Sun runs through the World in a day, this can do it in a moment. It can with one flight of fancy aſcend to the battlements of Heaven.] The miſts of the Air that hinder the ſight of the Eye, cannot hinder the flights of the Soul; it can paſs in a moment from one end of the World to the other, and think of things, a thouſand miles diſtant. It can think of ſome mean thing in the world, and preſently by one caſt in the twinkling of an Eye, mount up as high as Heaven. As its deſires are not bounded by ſenſual objects, ſo neither are the motions of it reſtrained by them. It will break forth with the greateſt vigour, and conceive things infinitely above it; Though it be in the body, it acts as if it were aſhamed to be Cloyſtered in it. This could not be the reſult of any material cauſe: Whoever knew meer matter underſtand, think, will? And what it hath not, it cannot give. That which is deſtitute of Reaſon and Will, could never confer Reaſon and Will.**Coccei. ſum. The dog. cap. 8. § 51.52. Tis not the effect of the Body, for the Body is fitted with members to be ſubject to it: Tis in part ruled by the activity of the Soul, and in part by the Counſel of the Soul; Tis uſed by the Soul and knows not how it is uſed. Nor could it be from the Parents, ſince the Souls of the Children often tranſcend thoſe of the Parents in vivacity, acuteneſs and comprehenſiveneſs: One man is ſtupid and begets a Son with a capacious underſtanding; one is debauched and beaſtly in morals, and begets a Son who from his Infancy teſtifies ſome vertuous inclinations, which ſprout forth in delightful fruit with the ripeneſs of his age.I do not diſpute whether the Soul were generated or no; Suppoſe the ſubſtance of it was generated by the Parents, yet thoſe more excellent qualities were not the reſult of them. Whence ſhould this difference ariſe, a fool begat the wiſe man, and a debauched the vertuous man? The wiſdom of the one could not deſcend from the fooliſh Soul of the other; nor the vertues of the Son, from the deformed and polluted Soul of the Parent; it lies not in the Organs of the Body; For if the folly of the Parent proceeded not from their Souls, but the ill diſpoſition of the Organs of their bodies, how comes it to paſs that the bodies of the Children are better Organiz'd beyond the goodneſs of their immediate cauſe? We muſt recur to ſome inviſible hand, that makes the difference, p. 33who beſtows upon one at his pleaſure richer qualities, than upon another: You can ſee nothing in the World endowed with ſome excellent quality, but you muſt imagine ſome bountiful hand did inrich it with that dowry: None can be ſo fooliſh as to think that a veſſel ever inricht it ſelf with that ſpritely Liquor, wherewith it is filled; or that any thing worſe than the Soul ſhould indow it with that knowledge and activity which ſparkles in it. Nature could not produce it: That nature is intelligent, or not; if it be not, then it produceth an effect more excellent than it ſelf, in as much as an underſtanding being ſurmounts a being that hath no underſtanding; If the ſupream cauſe of the Soul be intelligent, why do we not call it God as well as nature? We muſt ariſe from hence to the notion of a God; a Spiritual nature cannot proceed but from a Spirit higher than it ſelf, and of a tranſcendent perfection above it ſelf: If we beleive we have Souls and underſtand the ſtate of our own faculties, we muſt be aſſured that there was ſome inviſible hand which beſtowed thoſe faculties and the riches of them upon us: A man muſt be ignorant of himſelf before he can be ignorant of the Exiſtence of God: By conſidering the nature of our Souls, we may as well be aſſured that there is a God, as that there is a Sun by the ſhining of the beams in at our Windows: And indeed the Soul is a Statue and repreſentation of God, as the Land-Skip of a Country or Map repreſents all the parts of it, but in a far leſs proportion than the Country it ſelf is. The Soul fills the body, and God the world; the Soul ſuſtains the body, and God the World; the Soul ſees, but is not ſeen; God ſees all things, but is himſelf inviſible. How baſe are they then that proſtitute their Souls an image of God to baſe things unexpreſſibly below their own nature?

3. I might add the union of Soul and Body. Man is a kind of compound of Angel and Beaſt, of Soul and body; if he were only a Soul, he were a kind of Angel; if only a body, he were another kind of brute: Now that a body as vile and dull as earth, and a Soul that can mount up to Heaven, and rove about the world with ſo quick a motion, ſhould be linkt in ſo ſtrait an acquaintance; that ſo noble a being as the Soul ſhould be an inhabitant in ſuch a Tabernacle of Clay, muſt be owned to ſome infinite power that hath ſo chained it.

3. Man witneſſeth to a God in the operations and reflections of Conſcience. Rom. 2.15. Their thoughts are accuſing or excuſing. An inward comfort attends good actions, and an inward torment follows bad ones; for there is in every mans Conſcience, fear of puniſhment and hope of reward: There is therefore a ſenſe of ſome ſuperior Judge, which hath the power both of rewarding, and puniſhing: If man were his ſupream rule, what need he fear puniſhment, ſince no man would inflict any evil or torment on himſelf; nor can any man be ſaid to reward himſelf, for all rewards refer to another, to whom the action is pleaſing, and is a conferring ſome good a man had not before: If an action be done by a Subject or Servant, with hopes of reward, it can not be imagined, that he expects a reward from himſelf, but from the Prince or perſon whom he eyes in that action, and for whoſe ſake he doth it.

1. There is a Law in the minds of men, which is a rule of good and evil. There is a Notion of Good and Evil in the Conſciences of men, which is evident by thoſe Laws which are common in all Countries, for the preſerving human ſocieties, the encouragment of Vertue, and diſcouragement of Vice; What Standard ſhould they have for thoſe Laws, but a common reaſon? The deſigne of thoſe Laws was to keep men within the bounds of Goodneſs, for mutual commerce, whence the Apoſtle calls the Heathen Magiſtrate a Miniſter of God for Good. Rom. 13.4. and the Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law, Rom. 2.14.

Man in the firſt inſtant of the uſe of reaſon, finds natural principles within himſelf, directing and chooſing them; he finds a diſtinction between good and evil; how could this be if there were not ſome rule in him to try and diſtinguiſh good and evil? If there were not ſuch a law and rule in man, he could not ſin; for where there is no Law there is no tranſgreſſion. If man were a Law to himſelf and his own will his Law, there could be no ſuch thing as evil; whatſoever he willed would be good and agreeable to the Law; and no action could be accounted ſinful: The worſt act would be as commendable as the beſt. Every thing at mans appointment would be good or evil. If there were no ſuch Law, how ſhould men that are naturally inclined to evil diſapprove of that which is unlovely, and approve of that good which p. 34they practiſe not. No man but inwardly thinks well of that which is good, while he neglects it; and thinks ill of that which is evil, while he commits it. Thoſe that are vitious, do praiſe thoſe that practiſe the contrary vertues. Thoſe that are evil would ſeem to be good, and thoſe that are blameworthy, yet will rebuke evil in others. This is really to diſtinguiſh between good and evil; whence doth this ariſe, by what rule do we meaſure this, but by ſome innate principle?

And this is univerſal, the ſame in one man as in another, the ſame in one Nation as in another, they are born with every man, and inſeparable from his nature, Prov. 27.19. As in water face anſwers to face, ſo the heart of man to man. Common reaſon ſuppoſeth, that there is ſome hand which hath fixed this diſtinction in man: How could it elſe be univerſally impreſt? No Law can be without a Law-giver; no ſparks but muſt be kindled, by ſome other: Whence ſhould this Law then derive its original? Not from man; he would fain blot it out, and cannot alter it when he pleaſes: Natural generation never intended it; tis ſetled therefore by ſome higher hand, which as it imprinted it, ſo it maintains it againſt the violences of men; who, were it not for this Law, would make the world more than it is, an Aceldema and field of blood: For had there not been ſome ſupream good, the meaſure of all other goodneſs in the world, we could not have had ſuch a thing as good. The Scripture gives us an account that this good was diſtinguiſht from evil before man fell, they were objecta ſcibilia; good was commanded and evil prohibited, and did not depend upon man: From this a man may rationally be inſtructed that there is a God: For he may thus argue; I find my ſelf naturally obliged to do this thing and avoid that, I have therfore a ſuperior that doth oblige me; I find ſomething within me that directs me to ſuch actions, contrary to my ſenſitive appetite, there muſt be ſomething above me therefore that put this principle into mans nature: If there were no ſuperior, I ſhould be the ſupream Judge of good and evil: Were I the Lord of that Law which doth oblige me, I ſhould find no contradiction within my ſelf between reaſon and appetite.

2. From the Tranſgreſſion of this law of nature, fears do ariſe in the Conſciences of men. Have we not known or heard of men ſtruck by ſo deep a dart, that could not be drawn out by the ſtrength of men, or appeaſed by the pleaſure of the world, and men crying out with horrour upon a death-bed of their paſt life, when their fear hath come as a deſolation, and deſtruction as a whirlewind, Prov. 1.27. And often in ſome ſharp affliction, the duſt hath been blown off from mens Conſciences, which for a while hath obſcured the writing of the law. If men ſtand in awe of puniſhment, there is then ſome ſuperior to whom they are accountable: If there were no God, there were no puniſhment to fear. What reaſon of any fear, upon the diſſolution of the knot between the Soul and body, if there were not a God to puniſh, and the Soul remained not in being to be puniſhed?

How ſuddenly will Conſcience work upon the appearance of an affliction, rouze it ſelf from ſleep like an armed man, and fly in a mans face before he is aware of it? It will ſurprize the Hipocrites. Isa. 38.14. It will bring to mind actions committed long ago, and ſet them in order before the face, as Gods deputy acting by his authority and Omniſcience. As God hath not left himſelf without a witneſs among the Creatures, Acts 14.17. So he hath not left himſelf without a witneſs in a mans own breaſt.

1. This operation of Conſcience hath been univerſal. No Nation hath been any more exempt from it, than from reaſon: Not a man but hath one time or other more or leſs ſmarted under the ſting of it. All over the world Conſcience hath ſhot its darts. It hath torn the hearts of Princes in the midſt of their pleaſures: It hath not flattered them whom moſt men flatter, nor feared to diſturb their reſt, whom no man dares to provoke. Judges have trembled on a Tribunal, when Innocents have rejoyced in their condemnation: The Iron bars upon Pharaohs Conſcience, were at laſt broke up, and he acknowledged the Juſtice of God in all that he did, Exod. 9.27. I have ſinned, the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Had they been like Childiſh frights at the apprehenſion of bug-bears, why hath not reaſon ſhaken them off? But on the contrary the ſtronger reaſon grows, the ſmarter thoſe laſhes are: Groundleſs fears had been ſhort liv'd, Age and Judgement would have worn them off, but they grow ſharper with the growth of perſons. The Scripture informs us they have been of as ancient a date as the revolt of the firſt man, Gen. 3.10. I was afraid, ſaith Adam, beecauſe I was naked; which was an expectation of the Judgment of God. All his p. 35poſterity inherit his fears, when God expreſſeth himſelf in any tokens of his Majeſty and Providence in the world. Every mans Conſcience teſtifies that he is unlike what he ought to be according to that law engraven upon his heart. In ſome indeed Conſcience may be feared, or dimmer, or ſuppoſe ſome men may be devoid of Conſcience; ſhall it be denyed to be a thing belonging to the nature of Man? Some Men have not their eyes, yet the power of ſeeing the light is natural to Man, and belongs to the integrity of the body: Who would argue, that becauſe ſome men are mad and h…ve loſt their reaſon by a diſtemper of the brain, that therefore reaſon hath no reality, but is an imaginary thing? But I think it is a ſtanding truth, that every man hath been under the ſcourge of it, one time or other, in a leſs or greater degree: For ſince every man is an offender, it cannot be imagined, Conſcience which is natural to man and an active faculty, ſhould always lie idle, without doing this part of its office? The Apoſtle tells us of the thoughts, accuſing or excuſing one another, (or by turns) according as the actions were. Nor is this truth weakned by the corruptions in the world, whereby many have thought themſelves bound in Conſcience to adhere to a falſe and ſuperſtitious worſhip and Idolatry, as much as any have thought themſelves bound to adhere to a Worſhip commanded by God. This very thing infers that all men have a reflecting principle in them; it is no argument againſt the being of Conſcience, but only inferrs that it may Err in the application of what it naturally owns. We can no more ſay, that becauſe ſome men walk by a falſe rule, there is no ſuch thing as Conſcience, than we can ſay that becauſe men have Errors in their minds, therefore they have no ſuch faculty as an Underſtanding; or becauſe men will that which is evil, they have no ſuch faculty as a Will in them.

2. Theſe operations of Conſcience, are when the wickedneſs is moſt ſecret. Theſe tormenting fears of Vengeance, have been frequent in men, who have had no reaſon to fear man, ſince their wickedneſs being unknown to any but themſelves, they could have no accuſer but themſelves. They have been in many acts which their companions have juſtified them in: Perſons above the ſtroak of human laws, yea ſuch as the people have honoured as Gods, have been haunted by them. Conſcience hath not been frighted by the power of Princes, or brib'd by the pleaſures of Courts: David was purſued by his horrors, when he was by reaſon of his dignity above the puniſhment by the Law, or at leaſt was not reacht by the Law; ſince though the Murder of Ʋriah was intended by him, it was not acted by him. Such examples are frequent in human Records: When the crime hath been above any puniſhment by man, they have had an Accuſer, Judge and Executioner in their own breaſts: Can this be originally from a mans ſelf? He who loves and cheriſhes himſelf, would fly from any thing that diſturbs him: Tis a greater Power and Majeſty from whom man cannot hide himſelf, that holds him in thoſe fetters. What ſhould affect their minds for that which can never bring them ſhame or puniſhment in this World, if there were not ſome ſupream Judge, to whom they were to give an account, whoſe inſtrument Conſcience is? Doth it do this of it ſelf; hath it received an Authority from the man himſelf to ſting him? It is ſome ſupream power, that doth direct and commiſſion it againſt our Wills.

3. Theſe operations of Conſcience cannot be totally ſhaken off by Man. If there … no God, why do not men ſilence the clamors of their Conſciences, and ſcatter th…e fears that diſturb their reſt and pleaſures? How inquiſitive are men after ſome remedy againſt thoſe convulſions? Sometimes they would render the charge inſignificant and ſing a reſt to themſelves, though they walk in the wickedneſs of their own hearts: **De…How often do men attempt to drown it by ſenſual pleaſures, and perhaps over-power it for a time; but it revives, reinforceth it ſelf and Acts a revenge for its former ſtop. It holds ſin to a mans view, and fixes his eyes upon it, whether he will or no: The wicked are like a troubled Sea, and cannot reſt, Iſa. 57.20. They would wallow in ſin without controul, but this inward principle will not ſuffer it; nothing can ſhelter men from thoſe blows. What is the reaſon it could never be cried down? Man is an Enemy to his own diſquiet; what man would continue upon the rack, if it were in his power to deliver himſelf? why have all human remedies been without ſucceſs; and not able to extinguiſh thoſe operations, though all the wickedneſs of the heart hath been ready to aſſiſt and ſecond the attempt? It hath purſued men notwithſtanding all the violence p. 36uſed againſt it, and renewed its ſcourges with more ſeverity, as men deal with their reſiſting Slaves. Man can as little ſilence thoſe Thunders in his Soul, as he can the Thunders in the Heavens: He muſt ſtrip himſelf of his humanity before he can be ſtript of an accuſing and affrighting Conſcience; It ſticks as cloſe to him as his nature: Since man cannot throw out the Proceſs it makes againſt him, tis an evidence that ſome higher power ſecures its Throne and ſtanding: Who ſhould put this ſcourge into the hand of Conſcience, which no man in the World is able to wreſt out?

4. We may add, the comfortable reflections of Conſcience. There are excuſing as well as accuſing reflections of Conſcience, when things are done as works of the law of nature, Rom. 2.15. As it doth not forbear to accuſe and torture, when a wickedneſs though unknown to others is committed; So when a man hath done well, though he be attackt with all the calumnies the wit of man can forge, yet his Conſcience juſtifies the action, and fills him with a ſingular contentment. As there is torture in ſinning, ſo there is peace and joy in well doing: Neither of thoſe it could do, if it did not underſtand a Soveraign Judge, who puniſhes the Rebels and rewards the well-doer. Conſcience is the foundation of all Religion; and the two Pillars upon which it is built, are the being of God and the bounty of God to thoſe that diligently ſeek him.**Heb. 11.6.Heb 11:6

This proves the Exiſtence of God: If there were no God, Conſcience were uſeleſs; the operations of it would have no foundation, if there were not an eye to take notice, and a hand to puniſh or reward the action. The accuſations of Conſcience evidence the Omniſcience and the Holineſs of God; The terrors of Conſcience, the juſtice of God; The approbations of Conſcience, the Goodneſs of God: All the order in the world owes it ſelf, next to the Providence of God, to Conſcience; Without it the world would be a Golgotha. As the Creatures witneſs, there was a firſt cauſe that produced them, ſo this Principle in man evidenceth it ſelf to be ſet by the ſame hand, for the good of that which it had ſo framed: There could be no Conſcience if there were no God, and man could not be a rational Creature, if there were no Conſcience. As there is a Rule in us, there muſt be a Judge whether our actions be according to the rule. And ſince Conſcience in our corrupted ſtate is in ſome particular miſled, there muſt be a power ſuperior to Conſcience to judge how it hath behaved it ſelf, in its deputed office: We muſt come to ſome ſupream Judge, who can Judge Conſcience it ſelf. As a man can have no ſurer evidence, that he is a being, than becauſe he thinks; he is a thinking being: So there is no ſurer evidence in nature, that there is a God, than that every man hath a natural principle in him, which continually cites him before God, and puts him in mind of him, and makes him one way or other fear him, and reflects upon him whether he will or no: A man hath leſs power over his Conſcience, than over any other faculty: He may chooſe whether he will exerciſe his underſtanding about, or move his will to ſuch an object, but he hath no ſuch Authority over his Conſcience; he cannot limit it, or cauſe it to ceaſe from acting and reflecting; and therefore both that, and the law about which it acts, are ſettled by ſome ſupream Authority in the mind of man, and this is God.

Fourthly, IV. The evidence of a God reſults from the vaſtneſs of deſires in man, and the real diſſatisfaction he hath in every thing below himſelf. Man hath a boundleſs appetite after ſome Soveraign Good: As his underſtanding is more capacious, than any thing below, ſo is his Appetite larger. This affection of deſire exceeds all other affections. Love is determined, to ſomething known. Fear to ſomething apprehended; but Deſires approach nearer to Infiniteneſs, and purſue, not only what we know, or what we have a glimps of; but what we find wanting in what we already enjoy. That which the deſire of man is moſt naturally carryed after, is Bonum; ſome fully ſatisfying good. We deſire knowledge by the ſole impulſe of reaſon; but we deſire Good before the excitement of reaſon, and the deſire is always after Good, but not always after Knowledge.

Now the Soul of man finds an imperfection in every thing here, and cannot ſcrape up a perfect ſatisfaction and felicity. In the higheſt fruitions of worldly things, tis ſtill purſuing ſomething elſe, which ſpeaks a defect in what it already hath. The world may afford a felicity for our duſt, the body, but not for the inhabitant in it; tis two mean for that. Is there any one Soul among the Sons of men, p. 37that can upon a due enquiry ſay, it was at reſt and wanted no more, that hath not ſometimes had deſires after an immaterial Good? The Soul follows hard after ſuch a thing, and hath frequent looks after it, Pſal. 63.8. Man deſires a ſtable Good, but no ſublunary thing is ſo: And he that doth not deſire ſuch a Good, wants the rational nature of a man: This is as natural as Underſtanding, Will and Conſcience: Whence ſhould the Soul of man have thoſe deſires? How came it to underſtand that ſomething is ſtill wanting to make its nature more perfect; if there were not in it ſome notion of a more perfect being, which can give it reſt?

Can ſuch a capacity be ſuppoſed to be in it without ſomething in being able to ſatisfie it? If ſo, the nobleſt Creature in the world is miſerableſt and in a worſe condition than any other: Other Creatures obtain their ultimate deſires, they are filled with good, Pſal. 104.28. And ſhall man only have a vaſt deſire without any poſſibility of enjoyment? Nothing in man is in vain: He hath objects for his affections, as well as affections for objects. Every Member of his body hath its end, and doth attain it. Every affection of his Soul hath an object, and that in this World, and ſhall there be none for his deſire, which comes neareſt to infinite of any affection planted in him? This boundleſs deſire had not its original from man himſelf: Nothing would render it ſelf reſtleſs; ſomething above the bounds of this world implanted thoſe deſires after a higher Good, and made him reſtleſs in every thing elſe. And ſince the Soul can only reſt in that which is infinite, there is ſomething infinite for it to reſt in: Since nothing in the world, though a man had the whole, can give it a ſatisfaction, there is ſomething above the world only capable to do it, otherwiſe the Soul would be always without it, and be more in vain than any other Creature.

There is therefore ſome infinite being that can only give a contentment to the Soul, and this is God. And that goodneſs which implanted ſuch deſires in the Soul, would not do it to no purpoſe, and mock it in giving it an infinite deſire of ſatisfaction, without intending it the pleaſure of enjoyment, if it doth not by its own folly deprive it ſelf of it. The felicity of human nature muſt needs exceed that which is allotted to other Creatures.

4. And laſt Reaſon. Fourth Reaſon.As tis a folly to deny that which all Nations in the World have conſented to, which the frame of the world evidenceth, which man in his Body, Soul, Operations of Conſcience witneſſeth to: So tis a folly to deny the Being of God, which is witneſſed unto by extraordinary occurrences in the world.

1. In extraordinary Judgments. When a juſt revenge follows abominable crimes, eſpecially when the Judgment is ſuted to the ſin, by a ſtrange Concatenation and ſucceſſion of Providences, methodized to bring ſuch a particular puniſhment; When the ſin of a Nation or perſon is made legible in the inflicted Judgment, which teſtifies that it cannot be a caſual thing. The Scripture gives us an account of the neceſſity of ſuch Judgments, to keep up the reverential thoughts of God in the World. Pſal. 9.16. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executes, the wicked is ſnared in the work of his own hand. And Jealouſy is the name of God, Exod. 34.14. Whoſe name is Jealous: He is diſtinguiſht from falſe Gods by the Judgments which he ſends, as men are by their names.

Extraordinary Prodigies in many Nations have been the Heralds of extraordinary Judgments, and preſages of the particular Judgments which afterwards they have felt, of which the Roman Hiſtories, and others are full. That there are ſuch things is undeniable, and that the events have been anſwerable to the threatning, unleſs we will throw away all human Teſtimonies, and count all the Hiſtories of the World Forgeries. Such things are evidences of ſome inviſible Power which orders thoſe affairs. And if there be inviſible Powers, there is alſo an efficacious cauſe which moves them: A Government certainly there is among them, as well as in the world, and then we muſt come to ſome ſupream Governour which preſides over them.

Judgments upon notorious offenders have been evident in all ages; The Scripture gives many inſtances. I ſhall only mention that of Herod Agrippa, which Joſephus mentions.**Lib. 19. Antiq. Act. 12.21.22.23.Acts 12:21Acts 12:22Acts 12:23 He receives the flattering applauſe of the people, and thought himſelf a God. But by the ſuddain ſtroak upon him, was forced by his torture to confeſs another. I am God ſaith he in your account, but a higher calls me away: The p. 38will of the Heavenly Deity is to be endured. The Angel of the Lord ſmote him. The Judgment here was ſuted to the ſin; he that would be a God is eaten up of Worms, the vileſt Creatures. Tully Hoſtilius, a Roman King, who counted it the moſt unroyal thing to be Religious, or own any other God but his Sword, was conſumed himſelf and his whole Houſe by Lightning from Heaven.

Many things are unaccountable unleſs we have recourſe to God: The ſtrange Revelations of Murderers, that have moſt ſecretly committed their crimes: The making good ſome dreadful imprecations, which ſome wretches have uſed to confirme a lie, and immediatly have been ſtruck with that Judgement they wiſhed: The raiſing often unexpected perſons to be inſtruments of Vengeance on a ſinful and perfidious Nation: The overturning the deepeſt and ſureſt Counſels of men, when they have had a ſuccesful progreſs and came to the very point of execution; the whole deſigne of mens preſervation hath been beaten in peices by ſome unforeſeen circumſtance, ſo that Judgments have broken in upon them without controul, and all their ſubtilties been out-witted. The ſtrange croſſing of ſome in their Eſtates, though the moſt wiſe, induſtrious and frugal perſons, and that by ſtrange and unexpected wayes: And it is obſervable how often every thing contributes to carry on a Judgment intended, as if they rationally deſigned it. All thoſe loudly proclaim a God in the world: If there were no God, there would be no ſin; if no ſin, there would be no puniſhment.

2. In Miracles. The courſe of nature is uniforme; and when it is put out of its courſe, it muſt be by ſome ſuperior power inviſible to the world; and by whatſoever inviſible inſtruments they are wrought, the efficacy of them muſt depend upon ſome firſt cauſe above nature. Pſal. 72.18. Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, who only doth wondrous things, by himſelf and his ſole power.

That which cannot be the reſult of a natural cauſe, muſt be the reſult of ſomething ſupernatural: What is beyond the reach of nature, is the effect of a power ſuperior to nature. For it is quite againſt the order of nature, and is the elevation of ſomething to ſuch a pitch, which all nature could not advance it to. Nature cannot go beyond its own limits: If it be determined by another, as hath been formerly proved, it cannot lift it ſelf above it ſelf, without that power, that ſo determined it. Natural agents act neceſſarily: The Sun doth neceſſarily ſhine, fire doth neceſſarilly burn. That cannot be the reſult of nature, which is above the Ability of nature. That cannot be the work of nature, which is againſt the order of nature: Nature cannot do any thing againſt it ſelf, or invert its own courſe

We muſt own that ſuch things have been, or we muſt accuſe all the Records of former ages to be a pack of lies; which whoſoever doth, deſtroys the greateſt and beſt part of human knowledge. The Miracles mentioned in the Scripture, wrought by our Saviour, are acknowledged by the Heathen, by the Jews at this day, though his greateſt enemies. There is no diſpute whether ſuch things were wrought, the dead raiſed, the blind reſtored to ſight. The Heathens have acknowledged the Miraculous Eclipſe of the Sun, at the Paſſion of Chriſt, quite againſt the rule of nature, the Moon being then in oppoſition to the Sun. The propagation of Chriſtianity contrary to the methods whereby other Religions have been propagated, that in a few years the Nations of the world ſhould be ſprinkled with this Doctrine, and give in a greater Catalogue of Martyrs courting the devouring flames, than all the Religions of the world.

To this might be added, the ſtrange hand that was over the Jews, the only people in the world profeſſing the true God, that ſhould ſo often be befriended by their Conquerors, ſo as to rebuild their Temple, though they were looked upon as a people apt to rebel. Dion and Seneca obſerve, that whereever they were tranſplanted, they proſpered and gave laws to the Victors: So that this proves alſo the Authority of the Scripture, the truth of Chriſtian Religion, as well as the being of a God, and a ſuperior power over the world.

To this might be added, the bridling the tumultuous paſſions of men for the preſervation of human ſocieties, which elſe would run the world into unconceivable confuſions, Pſal. 65.7. Which ſtilleth the noiſe of the Sea, and the tumults of the people. As alſo the Miraculous deliverance of a perſon or Nation, p. 39when upon the very brink of ruin; The ſuddain anſwer of Prayer when God hath been ſought to, and the turning away a Judgment, which in reaſon could not be expected to be averted, and the raiſing a ſunk people from a ruine which ſeemed inevitable, by unexpected ways.

3. Accompliſhments of Prophecies. Thoſe things which are purely contingent, and cannot be known by Natural ſigns and in their cauſes, as Ecclipſes and changes in Nations, which may be diſcerned by an obſervation of the ſigns of the times; ſuch things that fall not within this compaſs, if they be foretold and come to paſs, are ſolely from ſome higher hand, and above the cauſe of Nature. This in Scripture is aſſerted to be a notice of the true God, Iſa. 41.23. Sh…w the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are God, and Iſa. 46.10. I am God declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done, ſaying my Counſel ſhall ſtand, and I will do all my pleaſure. And Prophecy was conſented to by all the Philoſophers to be from Divine illumination: That power which diſcovers things future, which all the foreſight of men cannot kenn and conjecture, is above nature. And to foretel them ſo certainly as if they did already exiſt, or had exiſted long ago, muſt be the reſult of a mind infinitely intelligent: Becauſe it is the higheſt way of knowing, and a higher cannot be imagined: And he that knows things future in ſuch a manner, muſt needs know things preſent and paſt. Cyrus was Propheſied of by Eſay. ch. 44.28. & 45.1. long before he was born: His Victories, Spoils, all that ſhould happen in Babylon, his bounty to the Jews came to paſs, according to that Prophecy; and the ſight of that Prophecy which the Jews ſhewed him, as other Hiſtorians report, was that which moved him to be favourable to the Jews.

Alexanders ſight of Daniels Prophecy concerning his Victories moved him to ſpare Jeruſalem. And are not the four Monarchies plainly deciphered in that Book, before the fourth roſe up in the world? That power which foretells things beyond the reach of the wit of man, and orders all cauſes to bring about thoſe predictions, muſt be an infinite power, the ſame that made the world, ſuſtains it and governs all things in it according to his pleaſure, and to bring about his own ends; And this Being is God.

Ʋſe 1 1. If Atheiſm be a folly; Tis then pernicious to the World, and to the Atheiſt himſelf. Wiſdom is the band of human ſocieties, the glory of Man. Folly is the diſturber of Families, Cites, Nations: The diſgrace of human nature.

Firſt, I. Tis pernicious to the World.

1. It would root out the foundations of Government. It demoliſheth all order in Nations. The being of a God is the guard of the world: The ſenſe of a God is the foundation of Civil order; without this there is no tye upon the Conſciences of men. What force would there be in Oaths for the deciſions of controverſies, what right could there be in Appeals made to one that had no being? A City of Atheiſts would be a heap of confuſion; there could be no ground of any commerce, when all the ſacred bands of it in the Conſciences of men were ſnapt aſunder, which are torne to peices and utterly deſtroyed by denying the Exiſtence of God: What Magiſtrate could be ſecure in his ſtanding, what private perſon could be ſecure in his right?**Leſſius de Provid. p. 665. Can that then be a truth that is deſtructive of all publick good? If the Atheiſts ſentiment, that there were no God, were a truth; and the contrary that there were a God, were a falſity; It would then follow, that falſity made men good and ſerviceable to one another: That error were the foundation of all the beauty and order and outward felicity of the world; the fountain of all good to man. If there were no God, to believe there is one, would be an error, and to beleive there is none would be the greateſt wiſdom, becauſe it would be the greateſt truth. And then as it is the greateſt wiſdom to fear God, upon the apprehenſion of his Exiſtence;**Pſal. 111.1….Ps 111:1 So it would be the greateſt error to fear him, if there were none. It would unqueſtionably follow, that Error is the ſupport of the world, the ſpring of all human advantages; and that every part of the world were obliged to a falſity for being a quiet habitation, which is the moſt abſur'd thing to imagine. Tis a thing impoſſible to be tolerated by any Prince, without laying an Axe to the root of the Government.

2. It would introduce all evil into the World. If you take away God, you take away p. 40Conſcience, and thereby all meaſures and rules of good and evil. And how could any Laws be made when the meaſure and ſtandard of them were removed? All good Laws are founded upon the dictates of Conſcience and reaſon, upon common ſentiments in human nature, which ſpring from a ſenſe of God: So that if the foundation be demoliſht, the whole ſuperſtructure muſt tumble down: A man might be a Thief, a Murderer, an Adulterer, and could not in a ſtrict ſenſe be an offender. The worſt of actions could not be evil, if a man were a God to himſelf, a Law to himſelf. Nothing but evil deſerves a Cenſure, and nothing would be evil, if there were no God, the Rector of the world againſt whom evil is properly committed: No man can make that morally evil that is not ſo in it ſelf. As where there is a faint ſenſe of God, the heart is more ſtrongly inclin'd to wickedneſs; ſo where there is no ſenſe of God, the bars are removed, the flood-gates ſet open for all wickedneſs to ruſh in upon mankind. Religion pinions men from abominable practices, and reſtrains them from being Slaves to their own paſſions: An Atheiſts arms would be looſe to do any thing.**Leſſius de Provid. p. 664. Nothing ſo villanous and unjuſt but would be Acted if the natural fear of a Deity were extinguiſht. The firſt conſequence iſſuing from the apprehenſion of the Exiſtence of God, is his Government of the world. If there be no God, then the natural conſequence is that there is no ſupream Government of the world: Such a Notion would caſhiere all ſentiments of good, and be like a Trojan Horſe, whence all impurity, tyranny and all ſorts of miſcheifs would break out upon mankind: Corruption and abominable works in the text are the fruit of the fools perſwaſion that there is no God. The perverting the ways of men, oppreſſion and extortion owe their riſe to a forgetfulneſs of God. Jer. 3.21. They have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God. Ezek. 22.12. Thou haſt greedily gained by extortion and haſt forgotten me, ſaith the Lord. The whole Earth would be filled with violence, all fleſh would corrupt their way, as it was before the deluge, when probably Atheiſm did abound more than Idolatry; and if not a diſowning the being, yet denying the Providence of God by the poſterity of Cain: Thoſe of the Family of Seth only calling upon the name of the Lord, Gen. 6.11.12. compared, which Gen. 4.26.

The greateſt ſenſe of a Deity in any, hath been attended with the greateſt innocence of life and uſefulneſs to others: And a weaker ſenſe hath been attended with a baſer impurity.**Ieſſius de Provid. p. 665. If there were no God, Blaſphemy would be praiſe-worthy: As the reproach of Idols is praiſe-worthy, becauſe we teſtifie that there is no Divinity in them. What can be more contemptible than that which hath no being? Sin would be only a falſe opinion of a violated Law, and an offended Deity. If ſuch appreſenſions prevail, what a wide door is opened to the worſt of villanies? If there be no God, no reſpect is due to him; all the Religion in the world is a trifle, and Error, and thus the Pillars of all human ſociety, and that which hath made Common-wealths to flouriſh, are blown away.

Secondly, 2: Tis pernicious to the Atheiſt himſelf. If he fear no future puniſhment, he can never expect any future reward: All his hopes muſt be confined to a Swiniſh and deſpicable manner of life, without any imaginations of ſo much as a dram of reſerved hapineſs. He is in a worſe condition than the fillieſt animal, which hath ſomething to pleaſe it in its life: Whereas an Atheiſt can have nothing here to give him a full content, no more than any other man in the World, and can have leſs ſatisfaction hereafter. He depoſeth the noble end of his own being, which was to ſerve a God and have a ſatisfaction in him, to ſeek a God and be rewarded by him: And he that departs from his end, recedes from his own nature. All the content any Creature finds, is in performing its end, moveing according to its natural inſtinct: As it is a joy to the Sun to run its race: **Pſal. 19.5.Ps 19:5In the ſame manner it is a ſatisfaction to every other Creature, and its delight to obſerve the Law of its Creation. What content can any man have that runs from his end, oppoſeth his own nature, denies a God by whom and for whom he was Created, whoſe Image he bears, which is the Glory of his nature; and ſinks into the very, dregs of bruitiſhneſs? How elegantly is it deſcribed by Bildad, **Job. 18.7.8. &c. to the end.Job 18:7Job 18:8his own Counſel ſhall caſt him down, terrors ſhall make him afraid on every ſide, deſtruction ſhall be ready at his ſide, the firſt born of Death ſhall devour his ſtrength, his confidence ſhall be rooted p. 41out, and it ſhall bring him to the King of Terrors: Brimſtone ſhall be ſcattered upon his Habitation, he ſhall be driven from light into darkneſs, and chaſed out of the World; they that come after him ſhall be aſtoniſhed at his day, as they that went before were affrighted: and this is the place of him that knows not God. **Ver. 21,If there be a future reckoning, (as his own Conſcience cannot but ſometimes inform him of) his condition is deſperate, and his miſery dreadful and unavoidable: Tis not righteous a Hell ſhould entertain any elſe, if it refuſe him.

Ʋſe 2 2. How lamentable is it, that in our times this folly of Atheiſm ſhould be ſo riſe? That there ſhould be found ſuch Monſters in human nature, in the midſt of the improvements of Reaſon, and ſhinings of the Goſpel, who not only make the Scripture the matter of their Jeers, but Scoff at the Judgments and Providences of God in the World, and envy their Creator a being, without whoſe goodneſs they had had none themſelves; who contradict in their carriage what they aſſert to be their ſentiment, when they dreadfully imprecate damnation to themſelves? Whence ſhould that damnation they ſo raſhly wiſh, be poured forth upon them, if there were not a revenging God? Formerly Atheiſm was as rare as prodigious, ſcarce two or three known in an age. * And thoſe that are reported to be ſo in former ages, are rather thought to be counted ſo, for mocking at the ſenceleſs Deities, the common people ador'd, and laying open their impurities. A meer natural ſtrength would eaſily diſcover that thoſe they adored for Gods, could not deſerve that title, ſince their original was known, their uncleanneſs manifeſt and acknowledged by their worſhippers. And probably it was ſo,**As Juſtin inf…rm us. ſince the Chriſtians were termed foreign, becauſe they acknowledged not their vain Idols.

I queſtion whether there ever was, or can be in the world, an uninterrupted and internal denyal of the being of God, or that men, (unleſs we can ſuppoſe Conſcience utterly dead) can arrive to ſuch a degree of impiety: For before they can ſtifle ſuch ſentiments in them, (whatſoever they may aſſert) they muſt be utter ſtrangers to the common conceptions of reaſon, and deſpoile themſelves of their own humanity. He that dares to deny a God with his lips, yet ſets up ſomething or other as a God in his heart. Is it not lamentable that this ſacred truth, conſented to by all Nations, which is the band of civil ſocieties, the ſource of all order in the world, ſhould be denyed with a bare face, and diſputed againſt in Companies; And the Glory of a wiſe Creator aſcribed to an unintelligent nature, to blind chance? are not ſuch worſe then Heathens? They worſhipped many Gods, theſe none: They preſerved a notion of God in the world under a diſguiſe of Images: Theſe would baniſh him both from Earth and Heaven, and demoliſh the Statues of him in their own Conſciences: They degraded him, theſe would deſtroy him: They coupled Creatures with him; Rom 1.25. Who worſhipped the Creature with the Creator, as it may moſt properly be rendred: And theſe would make him worſe than the Creature, a meer nothing. Earth is hereby become worſe than Hell. Atheiſm is a perſwaſion, which finds no footing any where elſe. Hell that receives ſuch perſons, in this point reforms them: They can never deny or doubt of his being, while they feel his ſtroaks. The Devil that rejoyces at their wickedneſs, knows them to be in an error; for he believes and trembles at the belief. **Jam. 2.19.Jas 2:19This is a forerunner of Judgment: Boldneſs in ſin is a preſage of vengeance, eſpecially when the honour of God is more particularly concern'd therein. It tends to the overturning human ſociety, taking off the Bridle from the wicked inclinations of men. And God appears not in ſuch viſible Judgments againſt ſin immediately committed againſt himſelf, as in the caſe of thoſe ſins that are deſtructive to human ſociety. Beſides, God as Governor of the world will uphold that, without which all his ordinances in the world would be uſeleſs. Atheiſm is point blank againſt all the Glory of God in Creation, and againſt all the glory of God in Redemption, and pronounceth at one breath, both the Creator, and all Acts of Religion and Divine Inſtitutions uſeleſs and inſignificant.

Since moſt have had one time or other, ſome riſings of doubt, whether there be a God, tho few do in expreſſions deny his being, it may not be unneceſſary to propoſe ſomethings for the further impreſſing this truth, and guarding themſelves againſt ſuch temptations.

1. Tis utterly impoſſible to demonſtrate there is no God. He can chooſe no Medium, p. 42but will fall in as a proof for his Exiſtence, and a manifeſtation of his excellency, rather than againſt it. The pretences of the Atheiſt are ſo ridiculous, that they are not worth the mentioning.

They never ſaw God, and therefore know not how to believe ſuch a Being; they cannot comprehend him. He would not be God, if he could fall within the narrow Model of an humane Underſtanding: He would not be infinite, if he were comprehenſible, or to be terminated by our ſight. How ſmall a thing muſt that be which is ſeen by a bodily Eye, or graſpt by a weak Mind? If God were viſible or comprehenſible, he would be limited: Shall it be a ſufficient Demonſtration from a blind man, that there is no fire in the Room, becauſe he ſees it not, though he feel the warmth of it? The knowledge of the effect is ſufficient to conclude the exiſtence of the cauſe. Who ever ſaw his own Life? Is it ſufficient to deny a man lives, becauſe he beholds not his Life, and only knows it by his motion? He never ſaw his own Soul, but knows he hath one by his thinking power: The Air renders it ſelf ſenſible to Men in its Operations, yet was never ſeen by the eye.

If God ſhould render Himſelf viſible, they might queſtion as well as now, whether that which was ſo viſible, were God or ſome deluſion. If he ſhould appear glorious, we can as little behold him in his Majeſtick Glory, as an Owl can behold the Sun in its brightneſs; we ſhould ſtill but ſee him in his Effects, as we do the Sun by his Beams. If he ſhould ſhew a new Miracle, we ſhould ſtill ſee him but by his Works; ſo we ſee him in his Creatures, every one of which would be as great a Miracle as any can be wrought, to one that had the firſt proſpect of them. To require to ſee God, is to require that which is impoſſible, 1 Tim. 6.16. He dwels in the Light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath ſeen nor can ſee. 'Tis viſibe that he is, for he covers himſelf with Light as with a Garment, Pſal. 104.2. 'Tis inviſible what he is, for he makes Darkneſs his ſeceret place, Pſal. 18.11. Nothing more clear to the Eye than Light, and nothing more difficult to the underſtanding than the nature of it: as Light is the firſt Object obvious to the Eye, ſo is God the firſt Object obvious to the Underſtanding. The Arguments from Nature do with greater ſtrength evince his Exiſtence, than any pretences can manifeſt there is no God. No man can aſſure himſelf by any good reaſon there is none: For as for the likeneſs of Events to him that is righteous and him that is wicked, to him that ſacrificeth and to him that ſacrificeth not, Eccles. 9.2. It is an Argument for a reſerve of Judgment in another State, which every mans Conſcience dictates to him; when the Juſtice of God ſhallbe glorified in another world, as much as his Patience is in this.

2. Whoſoever doubts of it, makes himſelf a Mark, againſt which all the Creatures fight.

All the Stars fought againſt Siſera for Iſrael: All the Stars in Heaven, and the Duſt on Earth fight for God againſt the Atheiſt. He hath as many Arguments againſt him as there are Creatures in the whole compaſs of Heaven and Earth: He is moſt unreaſonable, that denies or doubts of that whoſe Image and Shadow he ſees round about him; he may ſooner deny the Sun that warms him, the Moon that in the Night walks in her brightneſs, deny the Fruits he enjoys from the Earth, yea and, deny that he doth exiſt. He muſt tear his own Conſcience, fly from his own Thoughts, be changed into the nature of a Stone which hath neither reaſon nor ſenſe, before he can diſingage himſelf from thoſe Arguments which evince the Being of a God. He that would make the natural Religion profeſſed in the world a meer Romance, muſt give the lye to the common ſenſe of Mankind; he muſt be at an irreconcileable enmity with his own Reaſon, reſolve to hear nothing that it ſpeaks, if he will not hear what it ſpeaks in this caſe, with a greater evidence than it can aſcertain any thing elſe. God hath ſo ſetled himſelf in the reaſon of Man, that he muſt vilify the nobleſt Faculty God hath given him, and put off Nature it ſelf before he can blot out the Notion of a God.

3. No queſtion but thoſe that have been ſo bold as to deny that there was a God, have ſometimes been much afraid they have been in an Error, and have at leaſt ſuſpected there was a God, when ſome ſuddain Prodigy hath preſented it ſelf to them and rouſed their fears. And whatſoever Sentiments they might have in their blinding Proſperity, they have had other kind of motions in them in their ſtormy afflictions: and like Jonah's Mariners have been ready to cry to him for help, whom they diſdained to own ſo much as in being, while they ſwam in their pleaſures. The thoughts of a Deity cannot be ſo extinguiſht, but they will revive and ruſh upon a Man, at leaſt under ſome ſharp p. 43affliction. Amazing judgments will make them queſtion their own apprehenſions. God ſends ſome Meſſengers to keep alive the apprehenſion of him as a Judg, while men reſolve not to own or reverence him as a Governour. A man cannot but keep a ſcent of what was born with him. As a veſſel that hath been ſeaſoned firſt with a ſtrong juice will preſerve the ſcent of it, whatſoever liquors are afterwards put into it.

4. What is it for which ſuch men rack their wits, to form Notions, that there is no God? Is it not that they would indulge ſome vitious habit, which hath gained the poſſeſſion of their Soul, which they know cannot be favoured by that holy God, whoſe Notion they would raze out**Pſal. 94.6.7.Ps 94:6Ps 94:7? Is it not for ſome brutiſh affection, as degenerative of human Nature, as derogatory to the Glory of God; a luſt as unmanly as ſinful?

The terrours of God are the effects of guilt; and therefore men would wear out the apprehenſions of a Deity, that they might be brutiſh without controul. They would fain believe there were no God, that they might not be men, but beaſts. How great a folly is it to take ſo much pains in vain, for a ſlavery and torment; to caſt off that which they call a yoke, for that which really is one! There is more pains and toughneſs of Soul requiſite to ſhake off the apprehenſions of God, than to beleive that he is, and cleave conſtantly to him. What a madneſs is it in any to take ſo much pains to be leſs than a man, by razing out the apprehenſions of God, when with leſs pains, he may be more than an earthly man, by cheriſhing the notions of God, and walking anſwerably thereunto.

5. How unreaſonable is it for any man to hazard himſelf at this rate in the denial of a God? The Atheiſt ſaith he knows not that there is a God; but may he not reaſonably think, there may be one for ought he knows? and if there be, what a deſperate confuſion will he be in, when all his bravado's ſhall prove falſe? What can they gain by ſuch an Opinion? a freedom ſay they from the burdenſome yoke of Conſcience, a liberty to do what they liſt: that doth not ſubject them to Divine Laws. 'Tis an hard matter to perſwade any that they can gain this. They can gain but a ſordid pleaſure, unworthy the Nature of Man. But it were well, that ſuch would argue thus with themſelves: If there be a God, and I fear and obey him, I gain a happy Eternity; but if there be no God, I loſe nothing but my ſordid luſts by firmly beleiving there is one. If I be deceived at laſt, and find a God, can I think to be rewarded by him, for diſowning him? Do not I run a deſperate hazard to loſe his favour, his Kingdom and endleſs felicity, for an endleſs torment? By confeſſing a God I venture no loſs; but by denying him I run the moſt deſperate hazard, if there be one.

He is not a reaſonable Creature, that will not put himſelf upon ſuch a reaſonable arguing.

What a doleful meeting will there be between the God who is denyed, and the Atheiſt that denyes him, who ſhall meet with reproaches on Gods part, and terrors on his own? All that he gains is a liberty to defile himſelf here, and a certainty to be deſpiſed hereafter, if he be in an errour, as undoubtedly he is.

6. Can any ſuch perſon ſay he hath done all that he can to inform himſelf of the being of God, or of other things which he denyes? Or rather they would fain imagine there is none, that they may ſleep ſecurely in their luſts and be free (if they could) from the thunder-claps of Conſcience? Can ſuch ſay they have uſed their utmoſt indeavours to inſtruct themſelves in this, and can meet with no ſatisfaction? Were it an abſtruſe Truth it might not be wondred at: but not to meet with ſatisfaction in this which every thing minds us of, and helpeth, is the fruit of an extream negligence, ſtupidity, and a willingneſs to be unſatisfied, and a judicial proceſs of God againſt them. 'Tis ſtrange any man ſhould be ſo dark in that upon which depends the conduct of his life, and the expectation of happineſs hereafter.

I do not know what ſome of you may think, but I beleive theſe things are not uſeleſs to be propoſed for our ſelves to anſwer temptations: We know not what wicked temptation in a debauched and ſceptick Age, meeting with a corrupt heart, may prompt men to: And tho there may not be any Atheiſt here preſent, yet I know there is more than one, who have accidentally met with ſuch, who openly denyed a Deity. And if the like occaſion happen, theſe conſiderations may not be p. 44unuſeful to apply to their Conſciences. But I muſt confeſs, that ſince thoſe that live in this ſentiment, do not judg themſelves worthy of their own care, they are not worthy of the care of others; and a man muſt have all the Charity of the Chriſtian Religion, which they deſpiſe, not to contemn them, and leave them to their own folly. As we are to pity mad men, who ſink under an unavoidable diſtemper, we are as much to abominate them, who willfully hug this prodigious frenzy.

Ʋſe 3 If it be the Atheiſts folly to deny or doubt of the being of God, 'Tis our wiſedom to be firmly ſettled in this Truth, That God is. We ſhould never be without our Arms in an Age wherein Atheiſm appears bare fac'd without a diſguiſe.

You may meet with ſuggeſtions to it; though the Devil formerly never attempted to demoliſh this notion in the World, but was willing to keep it up, ſo the worſhip due to God might run in his own Channel; and was neceſſitated to preſerve it, without which he could not have erected that Idolatry, which was his great deſign in oppoſition to God: yet ſince the Foundations of that are torn up, and never like to be rebuilt, he may indeavour, as his laſt refuge, to baniſh the Notion of God out of the World; that he may reign as abſolutely without it, as he did before by the miſtakes about the divine Nature. But we muſt not lay all upon Satan; the corruption of our own hearts miniſters matter to ſuch Sparks. 'Tis not ſaid Satan hath ſuggeſted to the Fool, but the Fool hath ſaid in his heart there is no God. But let them come from what principle ſoever, ſilence them quickly, give them their diſmiſs; oppoſe the whole Scheme of Nature to ſight againſt them, as the Stars did againſt Siſera. Stir up ſentiments of Conſcience to oppoſe ſentiments of corruption. Reſolve ſooner to believe, that your ſelves are not, than that God is not: And if you ſuppoſe they at any time come from Satan, object to him that you know he believes the contrary, to what he ſuggeſts. Settle this principle firmly in you, let us behold Him that is inviſible, as Moſes did: **Heb. 11.27.Heb 11:27Let us have the ſentiments following upon the Notion of a God; to be reſtrained by a fear of him, excited by a love to him, not to violate his Laws and offend his Goodneſs. He is not a God careleſs of our actions, negligent to inflict puniſhment, and beſtow rewards, he forgets not the labor of our love, **Heb. 6.10.Heb 6:10nor the integrity of our ways: He were not a God, if he were not a Governor: And puniſhments and rewards are as eſſential to Government, as a Foundation to a building: His being and his Government in rewarding, which implies puniſhment, (for the neglects of him are linkt together,) **Heb. 11.6.Heb 11:6are not to be ſeparated in our thoughts of him.

1. Without this truth fixed in us, we can never give him the worſhip due to his Name. When the knowledge of any thing is fluctuating and uncertain, our actions about it are careleſs. We regard not that which we think doth not much concern us. If we do not firmly believe there is a God, we ſhall pay him no ſteady worſhip; and if we believe not the excellency of his nature, we ſhall offer him but a ſlight ſervice.**Mal. 1.13.14.Mal 1:13Mal 1:14 The Jews **Maimon. funda. Legis cap. 1.call the knowledge of the being of God, The Foundation and Pillar of wiſdom. The whole frame of Religion is diſſolved without this apprehenſion, and totters if this apprehenſion be wavering. Religion in the heart is as water in a weather glaſs which riſeth or falls according to the ſtrength or weakneſs of this belief: How can any man worſhip that which he beleives not to be, or doubts of? Could any man omit the paying a homage to one, whom he did beleive to be an Omnipotent, Wiſe Being, poſſeſſing, (infinitely above our conceptions) the perfections of all Creatures? He muſt either think there is no ſuch being, or that he is an eaſy drowſy inobſervant God, and not ſuch a one as our natural Notions of him, if liſtened to, as well as the Scripture, repreſents him to be.

2. Without being rooted in this, we cannot order our lives. All our baſeneſs, ſtupidity, dulneſs, wandrings, vanity ſpring from a wavering and unſetledneſs in this principle. This gives ground to brutiſh pleaſures, not only to ſollicite, but conquer us. Abraham expected violence in any place where God was not owned, Gen. 20.11. Surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will ſlay me for my Wiſes ſake. The natural knowledge of God firmly impreſt, would choak that which would ſtifle our reaſon and deface our Souls. The beleif that God is, and what he is, would have a mighty influence to perſwade us to a real Religion, and ſerious Conſideration, and caſting about how to be like to him and united with him.

3. Without it we cannot have any comfort of our Lives. Who would willingly live p. 45in a ſtormy world, void of a God? If we waver in this Principle, to whom ſhould we make our complaints in our afflictions? Where ſhould we meet with ſupports? How could we ſatisfy our ſelves with the hopes of a future Happineſs? There is a Sweetneſs in the Meditation of his Exiſtence, and that he is a Creator. **Pſal. 104.24.Ps 104:24Thoughts of other things have a Bitterneſs mixed with them: Houſes, Lands, Children now are, ſhortly they will not be; but God is, that made the World: His Faithfullneſs as he is a Creator, is a Ground to depoſite our Souls and Concerns in our innocent Sufferings. **1 Pet. 4.19.1 Pet 4:19So far as we are weak in the acknowledgment of God, we deprive our ſelves of our content in the veiw of his infinite perfections.

4. Without the rooting of this Principle, we cannot have a firm beleif of Scripture. The Scripture will be a ſlight thing to one that hath weak ſentiments of God. The Belief of a God muſt neceſſarily precede the Belief of any Revelation; The latter cannot take place without the former as the foundation. We muſt firmly beleive the Being of a God, wherein our Happineſs doth conſiſt, before we can beleive any means which conduct us to him: Moſes begins with the Author of Creation, before he treats of the Promiſe of Redemption. Paul preached God as a Creator to a Univerſity, before he preached Chriſt as Mediator.**Acts 17.24.Acts 17:24 What influence can the Teſtimony of God have in his Revelation upon one that doth not firmly aſſent to the truth of his Being? All would be in vain that is ſo often repeated [thus ſaith the Lord] if we do not beleive there is a Lord that ſpeaks it. There could be no aw from his Soveraignity in his Commands, nor any comfortable taſte of his Goodneſs in his Promiſes. The more we are ſtrengthened in this Principle, the more credit we ſhall be able to give to divine Revelation, to reſt in his Promiſe, and to reverence his Precept; the Authority of all depends upon the Being of the Revealer.

To this purpoſe, ſince we have handled this diſcourſe by natural Arguments,

1. Study God in the Creatures as well as in the Scriptures. The primary uſe of the Creatures, is to acknowledge God in them; they were made to be witneſſes of himſelf and his Goodneſs, and Heralds of his Glory, which Glory of God as Creator ſhall endure for ever, Pſal. 104.31. that whole Pſalm is a Lecture of Creation and Providence. The World is a ſacred Temple; Man is introduced to contemplate it, and behold with Praiſe the Glory of God in the pieces of his Art. As Grace doth not deſtroy Nature, ſo the Book of Redemption blots not out that of Creation: Had he not ſhewn himſelf in his Creatures, he could never have ſhewn himſelf in his Chriſt: The order of things required it. God muſt be read where ever he is legible; The Creatures are one book, wherein he hath writ a part of the excellency of his name, **Pſal. 8.9.Ps 8:9as many Artiſts do in their Works and Watches. Gods Glory like the Filings of Gold is too precious to be loſt where ever it drops: Nothing ſo vile and baſe in the World, but carries in it an inſtruction for Man, and drives in further the Notion of a God. As he ſaid of his Cottage; Enter here, Sunt hic etiam Dij, God diſdains not this place: So the leaſt Creature ſpeaks to Man, every Shrub in the Field, every Fly in the Air, every Limbin a Body; conſider me, God diſdains not to appear in me; he hath diſcovered in me his Being and a part of his Skill, as well as in the higheſt. The Creatures manifeſt the Being of God and part of his Perfections. We have indeed a more excellent way, a Revelation ſetting him forth in a more excellent manner, a firmer Object of Dependence, a brighter Object of Love, raiſing our hearts from ſelf confidence to a confidence in him. Though the appearance of God in the one be clearer than in the other, yet neither is to be neglected: The Scripture directs us to Nature to view God; it had been in vain elſe for the Apoſtle to make uſe of natural Arguments: Nature is not contrary to Scripture, nor Scripture to Nature; unleſs we ſhould think God contrary to himſelf, who is the Author of both.

2. View God in your own experiences of him. There is a taſte and ſight of his Goodneſs, though no ſight of his Eſſence.**Pſal. 34.98.Ps 34:98 By the taſte of his Goodneſs you may know the reality of the fountain, whence it ſprings and from whence it flows: This ſurpaſſeth the greateſt Capacity of a meer natural Underſtanding. Experience of the ſweetneſs of the ways of Chriſtianity is a mighty preſervative againſt Atheiſm. Many a Man knows not how to prove Hony to be ſweet by his reaſon, but by his ſenſe; and if all the reaſon in the world be brought againſt it, he will not be reaſoned out of what he taſts.

Have not many found the delightful illappſes of God into their Souls, often ſprinkled p. 46with his inward bleſſings upon their ſeeking of him; had ſecret warnings in their approaches to him; and gentle rebukes in their Conſciences upon their ſwervings from him? Have not many found ſometimes an inviſible hand raiſing them up when they were dejected; ſome unexpected providence ſtepping in for their relief; and eaſily perceived that it could not be a work of chance, nor many times the intention of the inſtruments he hath uſed in it? You have often found that he is, by finding that he is a rewarder, and can ſet to your ſeals that he is what he hath declared himſelf to be in his word, Iſa. 43.12. I have declared, and have ſaved, therefore you are my witneſſes ſaith the Lord that I am God. The ſecret touches of God upon the heart and inward converſes with him are a greater evidence of the Exiſtence of a ſupream and infinitely good being, than all nature.

Ʋſe 4 4. Is it a folly to deny or doubt of the being of God? Tis a folly alſo not to worſhip God, when we acknowledge his Exiſtence: Tis our Wiſdom then to Worſhip him. As it is not indifferent whether we beleive there is a God or no: So it is not indifferent whether we will give Honour to that God or no. A worſhip is his right as he is the Author of our being, and fountain of our happineſs. By this only we acknowledge his Deity: Tho we may profeſs his being, yet we deny that profeſſion in neglects of worſhip. To deny him a Worſhip is as a great folly, as to deny his being. He that renounceth all homage to his Creator, envies him the being which he cannot deprive him of. The natural inclination to worſhip is as univerſal as the Notion of a God; Idolatry elſe had never gained footing in the world. The Exiſtence of God was never owned in any Nation, but a Worſhip of him was appointed. And many people who have turned their backs upon ſome other parts of the Law of nature, have paid a continual homage to ſome ſuperior and inviſible being. The Jews give a Reaſon why Man was Created in the Evening of the Sabbath, becauſe he ſhould begin his being with the worſhip of his Maker. As ſoon as ever he found himſelf to be a Creature, his firſt ſolemn act, ſhould be a particular reſpect to his Creator.**Eccl. 12.Eccl 12 To fear God and keep his Commandment, is the whole of man, or is**Heb. whole man; he is not a man but a beaſt, without obſervance of God. Religion is as requiſite as reaſon to compleat a man: He were not reaſonable if he were not Religious; becauſe by neglecting Religion, he neglects the chiefeſt dictate of reaſon. Either God framed the world with ſo much Order, Elegancy, and variety to no purpoſe, or this was his end at leaſt, that reaſonable Creatures ſhould admire him in it, and Honour him for it. The Notion of God was not ſtampt upon men, the ſhadows of God did not appear in the Creatures, to be the Subject of an idle contemplation, but the motive of a due homage to God: He Created the world for his glory, a people for himſelf, that he might have the Honour of his works: That ſince we live and move in him and by him, we ſhould live and move to him and for him. It was the condemnation of the Heathen world, that when they knew there was a God, they did not give him the Glory due to him.**Rom. 1.21.Rom 1:21 He that denyes his being is an Atheiſt to his eſſence: He that denyes his worſhip is an Atheiſt to his Honour.

5. If it be a folly to deny the being of God, It will be our Wiſdom then, ſince we acknowledge his being, often to think of him. Thoughts are the firſt iſſue of a Creature as reaſonable:**Pro. 4.23.Prov 4:23 He that hath given us the faculty whereby we are able to think, ſhould be the principal object about which the power of it ſhould be exerciſed. Tis a Juſtice to God the Author of our underſtandings, a Juſtice to the nature of our underſtandings, that the nobleſt faculty ſhould be imployed about the moſt excellent object. Our minds are a beam from God; and therefore, as the Beams of the Sun, when they touch the Earth, ſhould reflect back upon God: As we ſeem to deny the being of God, not to think of him; we ſeem alſo to unſoul our Souls, in miſimploying the activity of them any other way: like Flies to be oftner on Dunghils than Flowers.

Tis made the black mark of an ungodly Man or an Atheiſt, that God is not in all his thoughts, Pſal. 10.4. What comfort can be had in the being of God without thinking of him with Reverence and delight? A God forgotten is as good as no God to us.