Existence and Attributes of God, Discourse 2 (3 of 3)

Existence and Attributes of God · Discourse 2 (3 of 3)

p. 88The kiſſing the hand, to the Sun, Moon or any Idol, was an external Sign of Religious Worſhip among thoſe and other Nations: This is far leſs than an inward hearty Confidence, and an affectionate Truſt: If the motion of the hand be, much more is the affection of the heart to an excrementitious Creature, or a brutiſh Pleaſure is a Denial of God, and a kind of an Abjuring of him, ſiince the Supream Affection of the Soul is undoubtedly and ſolely the Right of the Soveraign Creator, and not to be given in common to others, as the outward geſture may in a way of civil reſpect. Nothing that is an Honour peculiar to God, can be given to a Creature, without a plain excluſion of God to be God; it being a diſowning the rectitude and excellency of his Nature. If God ſhould command a Creature ſuch a Love, and ſuch a Confidence in any thing inferior to him; He would deny himſelf his own Glory; He would deny himſelf to be the moſt excellent Being. Can the Romaniſts be free from this, when they call the Croſs Spem unicam, and ſay to the Virgin, In te Domina ſperavi, as Bonaventure, &c.

Good reaſon therefore have Worldlings and Senſualiſts, perſons of immoderate fondneſs to any thing in the world, to reflect upon themſelves; ſince though they own the Being of a God, they are guilty of ſo great diſreſpect to him, that cannot be excuſed from the title of an unworthy Atheiſm: And thoſe that are renewed by the Spirit of God, may here ſee ground of a daily Humiliation for the frequent and too common Excurſions of their Souls in Creature Confidences and Affections, whereby they fall under the charge of an act of practical Atheiſm, though they may be free from an habit of it.

3. The third thing is, Man would make himſelf the end of all Creatures. Man would fit in the Seat of God, and ſet his heart as the heart of God, as the Lord ſaith of Tyrus Ezek. 28.2. What is the conſequence of this; but to be eſteemed the chief Good, and end of other Creatures? A thing, that the heart of God cannot but be ſet upon, it being an inſeparable Right of the Deity; who muſt deny himſelf, if he deny this affection of the Heart.

Since it is the nature of Man deriv'd from his Root, to deſire to be equal with God; it follows that he deſires no Creature ſhould be equal with him, but ſubſervient to his ends and his glory. He that would make himſelf God, would have the Honour proper to God: He that thinks himſelf worthy of his own ſupream affection, thinks himſelf worthy to be the Object of the ſupream affection of others: Whoſoever counts himſelf the chiefeſt Good and laſt End, would have the ſame place in the thoughts of others. Nothing is more natural to Man, than a deſire to have his own Judgment, the Rule and Meaſure of the Judgments and Opinions of the reſt of Mankind. He that ſets himſelf in the Place of the Prince, doth by that act challenge all the Prerogatives and Dues belonging to the Prince; and apprehending himſelf fit to be a King, apprehends himſelf alſo worthy of the Homage and Fealty p. 89of the Subjects. He that loves himſelf chiefly, and all other things and perſons for himſelf, would make himſelf the end of all Creatures. It hath not been once or twice only in the World, that ſome vain Princes have aſſumed to themſelves the title of Gods, and cauſed Divine Adorations to be given to them, and Altars to ſmoke with Sacrifices for their Honour: What hath been practiſed by one, is by Nature ſeminally in all. We would have all pay an Obedience to us, and give to us the Eſteem that is due to God.

This is evident,

1. In Pride. When we entertain an high Opinion of our ſelves, and act for our own Reputes, we diſpoſſeſs God from our own hearts; and while we would have our Fame to be in every mans mouth, and be admired in the hearts of men, we would chaſe God out of the hearts of others, and deny his Glory a Reſidence any where elſe; that our Glory ſhould reſide more in their minds than the Glory of God; that their thoughts ſhould be filled with our Atchievements, more than the Works and Excellency of God, with our Image and not with the Divine. Pride would paramount God in the affections of others, and juſtle God out of their Souls; and by the ſame reaſon that man doth thus in the Place where he lives, he would do ſo in the whole world, and preſs the whole Creation from the Service of their true Lord, to his own Service. Every proud man would be counted by others as he counts himſelf; the higheſt, chiefeſt piece of Goodnes; and be adored by others, as much as he adores and admires himſelf. No proud man in his ſelf-love, and ſelf-admiration, thinks himſelf in an Error; and if he be worthy of his own admiration, he thinks himſelf worthy of the higheſt eſteem of others; that they ſhould value him above themſelves, and value themſelves only for him. What did Nebuchadnezzar intend, by ſetting up a Golden Image, and commanding all his Subjects to worſhip it, upon the higheſt Penalty he could inflict; but that all ſhould aim only at the pleaſing his Humor?

2. In uſing the Creatures contrary to the End God has appointed. God created the World and all things in it, as ſteps whereby men might aſcend to a Proſpect of him, and the acknowledgment of his Glory; and we would uſe them to diſhonour God, and gratifie our ſelves: He appointed them to ſupply our neceſſities, and ſupport our rational delights; and we uſe them to cheriſh our ſinful luſts. We wring groans from the Creature in diverting them from their true ſcope, to one of our own fixing, when we uſe them not in his ſervice, but purely for our own, and turn thoſe things he created for himſelf to be inſtruments of Rebellion againſt him to ſerve our turns; and hereby endeavour to defeat the ends of God in them, to eſtabliſh our own ends by them: This is a high diſhonour to God, a Sacrilegious undermining of his Glory;**Sabunde Tit. 200. P. 352. to reduce what God hath made to ſerve our own glory, and our own pleaſure: It perverts the whole Order of the World, and directs it to another end than what God hath conſtituted; to another intention contrary to the intention of God; and thus Man makes himſelf a God by his own Authority. As all things were made by God, ſo they are for God: but while we aſpire to the end of the Creation, we deny and envy God the honour of being Creator. We cannot make our ſelves the chief end of the Creatures againſt Gods Order, but we imply thereby, that we were their firſt Principle: For if we lived under a ſenſe of the Creator of them while we enjoy them for our uſe, we ſhould return the glory to the right Owner.

This is Diabolical; though the Devil for his firſt affecting an Authority in Heaven, has been hurled down from the State of an Angel of Light, into that of Darkneſs, Vileneſs and Miſery, to be the moſt accurſed Creature living; yet he ſtill aſpires to mate God, contrary to the knowledge of the impoſſibility of ſucceſs in it: Neither the terrors he feels, nor the future torments he doth expect, do a jot abate his Ambition to be Competitor with his Creator. How often hath he ſince his firſt ſin, arrogated to himſelf the Honour of a God from the blind world, and attempted to make the Son of God by a particular Worſhip, count him as the chiefeſt Good and Benefactor of the World? **Mat. 4.9.Matt 4:9Since all men by Nature are the Devils Children, the Serpents Seed, they have ſomething of this Venom in their Natures, as well as others of his qualities. We ſee that there may be, and is a prodigious Atheiſm lurking under the Belief of a God. The Devil knows there is a God, but acts like an Atheiſt, and ſo do his Children.

p. 904. Man would make himſelf the end of God. This neceſſarily follows upon the former: Whoſoever makes himſelf his own Law and his own End in the place of God, would make God the Subject in making himſelf the Soveraign: He that ſteps into the Throne of a Prince, ſets the Prince at his Foot-ſtool; and while he aſſumes the Princes Prerogative, demands a Subjection from him. The Order of the Creation, has been inverted by the entrance of Sin.**Paſcal Pens. §. 30. P. 294. God implanted an affection in Man with a double aſpect, the one to pitch upon God, the other to reſpect our ſelves; but with this proviſo, that our affection to God ſhould be infinite, in regard of the Object and Center in him, as the chiefeſt Happineſs and higheſt End: Our affections to our ſelves ſhould be finite, and refer ultimately to God as the Original of our Being: But Sin hath turned Mans affections wholy to himſelf: Whereas he ſhould love God firſt, and himſelf in order to God; he now loves himſelf firſt, and God in order to himſelf: Love to God is loſt, and Love to ſelf hath uſurpt the Throne. As God by Creation put all thing under the feet of Man, **Pſal. 8.6.Ps 8:6reſerving the Heart for himſelf; Man by Corruption hath diſpoſſeſſed God of his Heart, and put him under his own feet. We often intend our ſelves, when we pretend the Honour of God, and make God and Religion a Stale to ſome deſigns we have in hand; our Creator a Tool for our own ends.

This is evident,

1. In our loving God, becauſe of ſome ſelf-pleaſing benefits diſtributed by him. There is in Men, a kind of natural love to God; but it is but a ſecondary one, becauſe God gives them the good things of this world, ſpreads their Table, fills their Cup, ſtuffs their Coffers, and doth them ſome good turns by unexpected Providences: This is not an affection to God for the unbounded Excellency of his own Nature, but for his beneficence, as he opens his hand for them; an affection to themſelves, and thoſe Creatures, their Gold, thier honour, which their hearts are moſt fixed upon; without a ſtrong Spiritual Inclination that God ſhould be glorified by them in the uſe of thoſe Mercies. 'Tis rather a diſowning of God, than any love to him; becauſe it poſtpones God to thoſe things they love him for. This would appear to be no love, if God ſhould ceaſe to be their Benefactor, and deal with them as a Judge; if he ſhould change his outward ſmiles into afflicting frowns; and not only ſhut his hand, but ſtrip them of what he ſent them. The Motive of their love being expired, the affection raiſed by it, muſt ceaſe for want of fewel to feed it: So that God is beholden to ſordid Creatures, of no value, (but as they are his Creatures) for moſt of the Love the Sons of Men pretend to him. The Devil ſpake truth of moſt men, though not of Job, when he ſaid, Job. 1.10. They love not God for nought; but while he makes a hedge about them and their Families, whileſt he bleſſeth the works of their hands, and increaſeth their honour in the Land. 'Tis like Peter's ſharp reproof of his Maſter, when he ſpake of the ill uſage, even to death, he was to meet with at Hieruſalem; This ſhall not be unto thee: It was as much out of love to himſelf, as zeal for his Maſters Intereſt, knowing his Maſter could not be in ſuch a Storm without ſome drops lighting upon himſelf. All the Apoſtacies of men in the world are Witneſſes to this: They fawn whileſt they may have a proſperous Profeſſion, but will not bear one chip of the Croſs for the Intereſt of God: They would partake of his Bleſſings, but not endure the prick of a Launce for him: As thoſe that admired the Miracles of our Saviour, and ſhrunk at his Sufferings. A time of tryal diſcovers theſe Mercenary Souls to be more Lovers of themſelves than their Maker. This is a pretended love of friendſhip to God, but a real love to a Luſt, only to gain by God: A good mans temper is contrary: Quench Hell, burn Heaven ſaid a holy Man, I will love and fear my God.

2. 'Tis evident; in abſtinence from ſome ſins; not becauſe they offend God, but becauſe they are againſt the Intereſt of ſome other beloved Corruption, or a Bar to ſomething men hunt after in the World. When temperance is cheriſhed, not to honour God, but preſerve a crazy Carcaſs: Prodigality forſaken, out of a humor of Avarice: Uncleaneſs forſaken, not out of a hatred of Luſt, but love to their mony: Declining a Denial of the Intereſt and Truth of God, not out of affection to them, but an ambitious Zeal for their own Reputation. There is a kind of Converſion from Sin, when God is not made the Term of it, Jer. 4.1. If thou wilt return oh Iſrael, return unto me ſaith the Lord. **Trap on Gen. pa. 148.When we forbear Sin as Dogs do the Meat p. 91they love; they forbear not out of a hatred of the Carrion, but fear of the Cudgel: Theſe are as wicked in their abſtaining from Sin, as others are in their furious committing it. Nothing of the Honour of God and the End of his appointments is indeed in all this, but the conveniences ſelf gathers from them. Again, many of the motives the generality of the world uſes to their Friends and Relations to draw them from Vices, are drawn from ſelf, and uſed to prop up natural or ſinful ſelf in them: Come, reform your ſelf, take other courſes, you will ſmut your Reputation and be deſpicable; you will deſtroy your Eſtate and commence a Beggar; your Family will be undone, and you may rott in a Priſon: Not laying cloſe to them the Duty they owe to God, the Diſhonour which accrues to him by their unworthy courſes, and the ingratitude to the God of their mercies: Not that the other motives are to be laid aſide and ſlighted: Mint and Cummin may be tithed, but the weightier concerns are not to be omitted: But this ſhews that ſelf is the Byas, not only of men in their own courſe, but in their dealings with others: What ſhould be ſubordinate to the Honour of God, and the Duty we owe to him, is made ſuperior.

3. 'Tis evident, In performing Duties meerly for a ſelfiſh Intereſt: Making our ſelves the End of Religious Actions, paying a Homage to that, while we pretend to render it to God, Zach. 7.5. Did you at all faſt unto me, even unto me? Things ordained by God may fall in with carnal ends affected by our ſelves; and then Religion is not kept up by any intereſt of God in the Conſcience, but the intereſt of ſelf in the Heart: We then ſanctifie not the Name of God in the Duty, but gratifie our ſelves: God may be the Object, ſelf is the End; and a Heavenly Object is made ſubſervient to a Carnal Deſign. Hypocriſie paſſes a Complement on God, and is called Flattery, Pſal. 78.36. They did flatter him with their lips, &c. They gave him a parcel of good words for their own preſervation. Flattery in the old Notion among the Heathens, is a Vice more peculiar to ſerve our own turn and purvey for the Belly: They knew they could not ſubſiſt without God, and therefore gave him a parcel of good words, that he might ſpare them, and make Proviſion for them. Iſrael is an empty Vine, **Hoſ. 10.1.Hos 10:1a Vine ſay ſome, with large Branches and few Cluſters, but brings forth Fruit to himſelf; while they profeſſed Love to God with their lips: It was, that God ſhould promote their covetous deſigns, and preſerve their Wealth and Grandeur:**Ezek. 33.31.Ezek 33:31 In which reſpect, an Hypocrite may be well termed a Religious Atheiſt, an Atheiſt maskt with Religion. The chief Arguments which prevail with many men to perform ſome Duties and appear Religious, are the ſame that Hamor and Shechem uſed to the people of their City to ſubmit to Circumciſion, viz. the ingroſſing of more Wealth, Gen. 34.21, 22. If every Male among us be circumciſed, as they are circumciſed, ſhall not their Cattel and their Subſtance, and every Beaſt of theirs be ours?

This is ſeen,

1. In unweildineſs to Religious Duties, where ſelf is not concern'd. With what lively thoughts will many approach to God, when a Revenue may be brought in to ſupport their own ends? But when the Concerns of God only are in it, the Duty is not the Delight, but the Clogg; ſuch feeble Devotions that warm not the Soul, unleſs there be ſomthing of ſelf to give ſtrength and heat to them. Jonah was ſick of his work, and run from God, becauſe he thought he ſhould get no honour by his Meſſage; Gods Mercy would diſcredit his Prophecy. **Johuah 4.2.Thoughts of diſadvantage, cut the very ſinews of ſervice. You may as well perſwade a Merchant to venture all his Eſtate upon the inconſtant Waves without hopes of Gain, as prevail with a natural man to be ſerious in Duty, without expectation of ſome warm Advantage. What profit ſhould we have if we pray to him? is the natural Queſtion, Job. 21.15. What profit ſhall I have if I be cleanſed from my Sin? Job. 35.3. I ſhall have more good by my ſin than by my ſervice. 'Tis for God that I dance before the Ark, ſaith David, therefore I will be more vile, 2 Sam. 6.2. Tis for ſelf that I pray ſaith a natural Man, therefore I will be more Warm and quick. Ordinances of God are obſerved only as a point of intereſt, and Prayer is often moſt fervent, when it is leaſt Godly, and moſt ſelfiſh: Carnal Ends and Affections, will pour out lively Expreſſions. If there be no delight in the means that lead to God, there is no delight in God himſelf: Becauſe Love is appetitus unionis, a deſire of Union; and where p. 92the Object is deſireable, the means that brings us to it would be delightful too.

2. In calling upon God only in a time of neceſſity. How officious will men be in affliction, to that God whom they neglect in their Proſperity? When he ſlew them, then they ſought him, and they returned and inquired after God, and they remembred that God was their Rock, Pſal. 78.34. They remembred him under the Scourge, and forgate him under his Smiles: They viſit the Throne of Grace, knock loud at Heavens Gates, and give God no reſt for their early and importunate Devotions when under Diſtreſs: But when their deſires are anſwered, and the Rod removed; they ſtand aloof from him, and reſt upon their own bottom, as Jer. 2.31. We are Lords, we will come no more unto thee. When we have need of him, he ſhall find us Clients at his Gate; and when we have ſerved our turn, he hears no more of us: Like Noahs Dove ſent out of the Ark, that returned to him when ſhe found no reſt on the Earth, but came not back when ſhe found a footing elſe where. How often do men apply themſelves to God, when they have ſome buſineſs for him to do for them? And then too, they are loath to put it ſolely into his hand, to manage it for his own honour; but they preſume to be his Directors, that he may manage it for their glory. Self ſpurrs men on to the Throne of Grace; they deſire to be furniſht with ſome Mercy they want, or to have the Clouds of ſome Judgments which they fear, blown over: This is not affection to God, but to our ſelves: As the Romans worſhipped a Quartane Ague as a Goddeſs, and Timorem & Pallorem, Fear and Paleneſs, as Gods; not out of any affection they had to the Diſeaſe or the Paſſion, but for fear to receive any hurt by them.

Again, when we have gained the Mercy we need, how little do we warm our Souls with the conſideration of that God that gave it, or lay out the Mercy in his ſervice? We are importunate to have him our friend in our neceſſities, and are ungratefully careles of him, and his injuries, he ſuffers by us or others: When he hath diſcharged us from the Rock where we ſtuck, we leave him, as having no more need of him, and able to do well enough without him: As if we were petty Gods our ſelves, and only wanted a lift from him at firſt: This is not to glorifie God as God, but as our Servant; not an honouring of God, but a ſelf ſeeking: He would hardly begg at Gods door, if he could pleaſure himſelf without him.

3. In begging his Aſſiſtance to our own Projects. When we lay the Plot of our own Affairs, and then come to God, not for Counſel but Bleſſing; Self only ſhall give us counſel how to act; but becauſe we believe there is a God that governs the world, we will deſire him to contribute ſucceſs. God is not conſulted with, till the Counſel of ſelf be fixed; then God muſt be the Executor of our Will: Self muſt be the Principal, and God the Inſtrument to hatch what we have contrived. 'Tis worſe when we beg of God to favour ſome ſinful Aim; the Pſalmiſt implies this, Pſal. 66.18. If I regard Iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Iniquity regarded as the aim in Prayer, renders the Prayer ſucceſleſs, and the Suppliant an Atheiſt, in debaſing God to back his Luſt by his holy Providence.

The Diſciples had determined Revenge; and becauſe they could not act it without their Maſter, they would have him be their Second in their vindictive paſſion, Luke 9.55. Call for fire from Heaven.

We ſcarce ſeek God, till we have modell'd the whole Contrivance in our own Brains, and reſolved upon the Methods of Performance; as though there were not a fullneſs of Wiſdom in God to guide us in our reſolves, as well as Power to breath Succeſs upon them.

4. In impatience upon the refuſal of our deſires. How often do mens Spirits riſe againſt God, when he ſteps not in with the Aſſiſtance they want? If the glory of God ſwayed more with them than their private intereſt, they would let God be Judge of his own glory, and rather magnifie his Wiſdom, than complain of his want of Goodneſs: Selfiſh hearts will charge God with neglect of them, if he be not as quick in their ſupplies as they are in their deſires; like thoſe in Iſa. 58.3. Wherefore have we faſted ſay they, and thou ſeeſt not; wherefore have we afflicted our Souls and thou takeſt no knowledge? When we aim at Gods glory in our importunities, we ſhall fall down in humble Submiſſions when he denies us; whereas ſelf riſeth up in bold Expoſtulations, as if God were our Servant, and had neglected the ſervice p. 93he owed us, not to come at our call. We over-value the ſatisfactions of ſelf above the honour of God. Beſides, if what we deſire be a ſin, our impatience at a refuſal is more intolerable: 'Tis an anger, that God will not lay aſide his holineſs to ſerve our corruption.

5. In the actual aims men have in their Duties. In Prayer for temporal things, when we deſire Health for our own eaſe, Wealth for our own ſenſuality, Strength for our revenge, Children for the increaſe of our Family, Gifts for our applauſe, as Simon Magus did the Holy-Ghoſt, or; when ſome of thoſe ends are aimed at: This is to deſire God not to ſerve himſelf of us, but to be a Servant to our worldly intereſt, our vain glory, the greatning of our names, &c. In ſpiritual mercies begged for; When pardon of ſin is deſired only for our own ſecurity from eternal Vengeance; Sanctification deſired only to make us fit for everlaſting bleſſedneſs; Peace of Conſcience only that we may lead our lives more comfortably in the world; when we have not actual intentions for the glory of God, or when our thoughts of Gods honour are overtopt by the aims of ſelf advantage: Not but that as God hath preſt us to thoſe things by motives drawn from the Bleſſedneſs derived to our ſelves by them, ſo we may deſire them with a reſepect to our ſelves; but this reſpect muſt be contained within the due banks, in ſubordination to the glory of God, not above it, nor in an equal ballance with it.Gurnall. Part. 3. Pag. 337. That which is nouriſhing or medicinal in the firſt or ſecond degree, is in the fourth or fifth degree meer deſtructive poyſon.

Let us conſider it ſeriouſly; though a Duty be heavenly, doth not ſome baſe end ſmut us in it?

[1.] How is it with our Confeſſions of Sin? Are they not more to procure our Pardon, than to ſhame our ſelves before God, or to be freed from the chains that hinder us from bringing him the glory for which we were created; or more to partake of his benefits, than to honour him in acknowledging the rights of his Juſtice? Do we not bewail ſin as it hath ruined us, not as it oppoſed the Holineſs of God? Do we not ſhuffle with God, and confeſs one ſin, while we reſerve another; as if we would allure God by declaring our diſlike of one, to give us liberty to commit Wantoneſs with another; not to abhor our ſelves, but to daub with God?

2. Is it any better in our private and Family Worſhip? Are not ſuch Aſſemblies frequented by ſome, where ſome upon whom they have a dependance may eye them, and have a better opinion of them, and affection to them? If God were the ſole end of our hearts; would they not be as glowing under the ſole eye of God, as our tongues or carriages are ſeemingly ſerious under the eye of man? Are not Family duties performed by ſome that their voices may be heard, and their reputation ſupported among Godly Neighbours?

[3.] Is not the Charity of many men tainted with this end ſelf?**Mat. 6.1.Matt 6:1 as the Phariſees were, while they ſet the miſerable Object before them, but not the Lord; beſtowing Alms, not ſo much upon the neceſſities of the people, as the friendſhip we owe them for ſome particular reſpects: Or caſting our bread upon thoſe Waters which ſtream down in the ſight of the world, that our Doles may be viſible to them and commended by them: Or when we think to oblige God to pardon our transgreſſions; as if we merited it and Heaven too at his hands, by beſtowing a few pence upon indigent perſons. And

[4.] Is it not the ſame with the Reproofs of men? Is not Heat and Anger carried out with full Sail when our worldly intereſt is prejudic'd, and becalm'd in the concerns of God? Do not many Maſters reprove their Servants with more vehemency for the neglect of their Trade and Buſineſs, than the neglect of Divine Duties; and that upon Religious Arguments, pretending the honour of God that they may mind their own intereſt? But when they are negligent in what they owe to God, no noyſe is made, they paſs without rebuke. Is not this to make God and Religion a Stale to their own ends? 'Tis a part of Atheiſm, not to regard the injuries done to God, as Tiberius **Dei injuria Deo curae.; Let Gods wrongs be looked to or cared for by himſelf.

[5.] Is it not thus in our ſeeming Zeal for Religion? As Demetrius, and the Craftsmen at Epheſus cried up aloud the greatneſs of Diana of the Epheſians; not out of any true zeal they had for her, but their gain, which was increaſed by the confluence p. 94of her Worſhippers, and the Sale of her own Shrines, Acts 19.24.28.

4. In making uſe of the Name of God to countenance our Sin. When we ſet up an opinion that is a Friend to our luſts, and then dig deep into the Scripture to find Crutches to ſupport it, and authorize our practices: When men will thank God for what they have got by unlawful means, Fathering the fruit of their cheating craft, and the ſimplicity of their Chapmen upon God: Crediting their Couſenage by his Name, as men do braſs mony, with a thin plate of ſilver, and the ſtamp and image of the Prince. The Jews urge the Law of God for the crucifying his Son, John 19.7. We have a Law, and by that Law he is to dye: And would make him a Party in their private Revenge.**Sanaerſon's S. Part. 2. P. 158. Thus often when we have faultered in ſome actions, we wipe our mouths, as if we ſought God more than our own intereſt, proſtituting the ſacred Name and Honour of God, either to hatch or defend ſome unworthy luſt againſt his Word.

Is not all this a high degree of Atheiſm?

1. 'Tis a vilifying God, an abuſe of the higheſt good: Other ſins ſubject the Creature and outward things to them; but acting in Religious ſervices for ſelf, ſubjects not only the higheſt concernments of mens Souls, but the Creator himſelf to the Creature: Nay, to make God contribute to that which is the pleaſure of the Devil: A greater ſlight, than to caſt the gifts of a Prince to a Herd of naſty Swine. It were more excuſable to ſerve our ſelves of God upon the higher accounts, ſuch that materially conduce to his glory; but it is an intolerable wrong, to make Him and his Ordinances Caterers for our own bellies, as they did**Hoſ. …8.13. Vid. Cocc. in locum.Hos 8:13: They ſacrificed the foreign of which the Offerer might eat; not out of any reference to God, but love to their Gluttony; not to pleaſe him, but feaſt themſelves. The Belly was truly made the God, when God was ſerved only in order to the Belly: As though the bleſſed God had his Being, and his Ordinances were enjoyned to pleaſure their fooliſh and wanton Appetites: As though the Work of God were only to patronize unrighteous ends, and be as bad as themſelves, and become a Pander to their corrupt affections.

2. Becauſe it is a vilifying of God, It is an undeifying or dethroning God. 'Tis an acting, as if we were the Lords, and God our Vaſſal: A ſetting up thoſe ſecular ends in the place of God, who ought to be our ultimate end in every action; to whom a glory is as due, as his mercy to us is utterly unmerited by us. He that thinks to cheat, and put the Fool upon God by his pretences, doth not heartily believe there is ſuch a Being. He could not have the Notion of a God, without that of Omniſcience and Juſtice; an eye to ſee the cheat, and an Arm to puniſh it: The Notion of the one would direct him in the manner of his Services, and the Senſe of the other would ſcare him from the cheriſhing his unworthy ends. He that ſerves God with a ſole reſpect to himſelf, is prepared for any Idolatry; his Religion ſhall warp with the times and his intereſt; he ſhall deny the true God for an Idol, when his worldly intereſt ſhall adviſe him to it; and pay the ſame Reverence to the baſeſt Image, which he pretends now to pay to God: As the Iſraelites were as real for Idolatry under their baſeſt Princes, as they were Pretenders to the true Religion under thoſe that were Pious.

Before I come to the uſe of this, give me leave to evince this practical Atheiſm by two other Conſiderations.

1. Ʋnworthy Imaginations of God.

The Fool hath ſaid in his heart there is no God: That is, he is not ſuch a God as you report him to be: This is meant by their being corrupt, in the 2. v. corrupt being taken for playing the Idolaters, Exod. 32.7. We cannot comprehend God; if we could, we ſhould ceaſe to be finite; and becauſe we cannot comprehend him, we erect ſtrange Images of him in our fancies and affections. And ſince guilt came upon us, becauſe we cannot root out the Notions of God, we would debaſe the Majeſty and Nature of God, that we may have ſome eaſe in our Conſciences, and lye down with ſome comfort in the ſparks of our own kindling.

This is univerſal in men by Nature. God is not in all his thoughts: Pſal. 10.4.Ps 10:4Not in any of his thoughts according to the excellency of his Nature, and greatneſs of his Majeſty. As the Heathen did not glorify God as God, ſo neither do they conceive p. 95of God as God: They are all infected with ſome one or other ill opinion of him, thinking him not ſo holy, powerful, juſt, good as he is, and as the natural force of a human underſtanding might arrive to. VVe joyn a new Notion of God in our vain fancies, and repreſent him not as he is, but as we would have him to be, fit for our own uſe, and ſuted to our own pleaſure: VVe ſet that active power of imagination on work, and there comes out a God, (a Calf) whom we own for a Notion of God.

Adam caſt him into ſo narrow a mould, as to think that himſelf, who had newly ſprouted up by his Almighty power, was fit to be his Corrival in knowledge, and had vain hopes to graſp as much as infiniteneſs: If he in his firſt declining begun to have ſuch a conceit, tis no doubt but we have as bad under a maſs of Corruption. VVhen holy Agur ſpeaks of God, he crys out that he had not the underſtanding of a Man, nor the knowledge of the holy: **Pro. 30.2.3.Prov 30:2Prov 30:3He did not think rationally of God as Man might by his ſtrength at his firſt Creation. There are as many Carved Images of God as there are minds of Men, and as monſtrous ſhapes as thoſe Corruptions, into which they would transform him.

Hence ſprang,

1. Idolatry. Vain Imaginations firſt ſet afloat and kept up this in the world.**Rom. 1.2….23.Rom 1:2Rom 1:23 Vain Imaginations of the God whoſe glory they changed into the Image of corruptible Man: They had ſet up vain Images of him in their fancy, before they ſet up Idolatrous repreſentations of him in their Temples; The likening him to thoſe Idols of Wood and Stone, and various metals, were the fruit of an Idea Erected in their own minds; This is a mighty debaſing the Divine nature, and rendring him no better, than that baſe and ſtupid matter they make the viſible object of their adoration; equalling him with thoſe baſe Creatures they think worthy to be the repreſentations of him. Yet how far did this Crime ſpread it ſelf in all Corners of the world, not only among the more barbarous and Ignorant, but the more poliſht and Civilized Nations? Judea only, where God had placed the Ark of his preſence, being free from it, in ſome intervals of time only after ſome ſweeping Judgment. And tho they vomited up their Idols underſome ſharp ſcourge, they licked them up again after the Heavens were cleared over their Heads: The whole book of Judges makes mention of it. And tho an Evangelical light hath chaſed that Idolatry away from a great part of the world; yet the Principle remaining, Coyns more Spiritual Idols in the heart, which are brought before God in acts of Worſhip.

2. Hence all ſuperſtition received its riſe and growth. When we Mint a God according to our own Complexion, like to us in mutable and various paſſions, ſoon angry and ſoon appeaſed, tis no wonder that we invent ways of pleaſing him after we have offended him; and think to expiate the ſin of our Souls, by ſome Melancholy devotions and ſelf Chaſtiſements. Superſtition is nothing elſe but an unſcriptural and unrevealed dread of God. **foreign.When they imagined him a rigorous and ſevere Maſter, they caſt about for ways to mitigate him whom they thought ſo hard to be pleaſed: A very mean thought of him, as if a ſlight and pompous Devotion could as eaſily bribe and flatter him out of his rigors, as a few good words or baubling rattles could pleaſe and quiet little Children; And whatſoever pleaſed us, could pleaſe a God infinitely above us. Such narrow conceipts had the Philiſtins, when they thought to ſtill the anger of the God of Iſrael, whom they thought they poſſeſs'd in the Ark, with the preſent of a few Golden mice. **1 Sam. 6.3, 4.1 Sam 6:31 Sam 6:4All the Superſtition this day living in the world is built upon this foundation: So natural it is to Man to pull God down to his own Imaginations, rather than raiſe his Imaginations up to God. Hence doth ariſe alſo the diffidence of his mercy, tho they repent; meaſuring God by the contracted Models of their own Spirits; as tho his nature were as difficult to Pardon their offences againſt him, as they are to remit wrongs done to themſelves.

3. Hence Springs all Preſumption, the Common diſeaſe of the world. All the wickedneſs in the World, which is nothing elſe but preſuming upon God, riſes from the ill interpretations of the goodneſs of God, breaking out upon them in the works of Creation and Providence: The Corruption of Mans nature engendred by thoſe Notions of goodneſs a monſtrous birth of vain imaginations. Not of themſelves primarily, but of God, whence aroſe all that folly and darkneſs in their minds and converſations, Rom. 1.20.21. They glorified him not as God, but according p. 99to themſelves, imagined him good that themſelves might be bad; fancyed him ſo indulgent, as to neglect his own honour for their ſenſuality. How doth the unclean perſon repreſent him to his own thoughts, but as a Goat; the Murderer as a Tyger; the ſenſual perſon as a Swine; while they fancy a God indulgent to their Crimes without their repentance? As the Image on the Seal is ſtampt upon the wax, ſo the thoughts of the heart are Printed upon the actions. Gods Patience is apprehended to be an approbation of their Vices, and from the Conſideration of his forbearance, they faſhion a God that they believe will ſmile upon their Crimes: They imagine a God that plays with them; and tho he threatens, doth it only to ſcare, but means not as he ſpeaks: A God they fancy like themſelves, that would do as they would do, not be angry for what they count a light offence, Pſal. 50.21. Thou thoughteſt I was ſuch a one as thy ſelf: That God and they were exactly alike as two Tallies.**Gurnal part 2. p. 245. 246. [Our wilful miſapprehenſions of God are the cauſe of our misbehaviour in all his worſhip: Our ſlovenly and lazy ſervices tell him to his face what ſlight thoughts and apprehenſions we have of him]

Compare theſe two together.

Superſtition ariſeth from terrifying miſapprehenſions of God: Preſumption from ſelf pleaſing thoughts: One repreſents him only rigorous, and the other careleſs: One makes us over officious in ſerving him by our own rules; and the other over bold in offending him, according to our humors. The want of a true Notion of Gods Juſtice makes ſome Men ſlight him: And the want of a true apprehenſion of his goodneſs makes others too ſervile in their approaches to him: One makes us careleſs of duties, and the other makes us look on them rather as Phyſick than food; an unſupportable pennance, than a deſirable priviledge. In this Caſe, Hell is the principle of Duty performed to Heaven. The ſuperſtitious Man believes God hath ſcarce mercy to Pardon; the preſumptuous Man believes he hath no ſuch perfection as Juſtice to puniſh. The one makes him inſignificant to what he deſires, kindneſs and goodneſs; the other renders him inſignificant to what he fears, his vindictive Juſtice: What between the Idolater, the ſuperſtitious, the preſumptuous perſon, God ſhould look like no God in the world.

Theſe unworthy imaginations of God are likewiſe,

A vilifying of him: Debaſing the Creator, to be a Creature of their own fancies; putting their own ſtamp upon him; and faſhioning him not according to that beautiful Image he impreſt upon them by Creation; but the defaced Image they inherit by their fall, and which is worſe, the Image of the Devil which ſpread it ſelf over them at their revolt and apoſtacy. Were it poſſible to ſee a Picture of God, according to the fancies of Men, it would be the moſt Monſtrous being, ſuch a God that never was, nor ever can be.

VVe honour God when we have worthy opinions of him ſutable to his nature; when we conceive of him as a being of unbounded lovelineſs and perfection: VVe detract from him when we aſcribe to him ſuch qualities as would be a horrible diſgrace to a wiſe and good Man: As Injuſtice and Impurity. Thus Men debaſe God when they invert his order, and would Create him according to their Image, as he firſt Created them according to his own: And think him not worthy to be a God, unleſs he fully anſwer the mould they would caſt him into, and be what is unworthy of his nature: Men do not conceive of God as he would have them; but he muſt be what they would have him, one of their own ſhaping.

1. This is worſe than Idolatry. The groſſeſt Idolater commits not a Crime ſo hainous, by changing his glory into the Image of Creeping things and ſenſeleſs Creatures, as the imagining God to be as one of our ſinful ſelves, and likening him to thoſe filthy Images, we erect in our fancies: One makes him an earthly God, like an earthly Creature; the other fancies him an unjuſt and impure God, like a wicked Creature: One ſets up an Image of him in the Earth, which is his footſtool; the other ſets up an Image of him in the heart, which ought to be his throne.

2. Tis worſe than abſolute Atheiſm, or a denial of God. Dignius credimus non eſſe, quodcunque non ita fuerit, ut eſſe deberet, was the opinion of Tertullian. **Tertul. cont. Maxim. lib. 1. cap. 2.Tis more Commendable to think him not to be, than to think him ſuch a one as is inconſiſtent with his nature. Better to deny his Exiſtence, than deny his perfection. No wiſe Man but would rather have his memory rot, than be accounted infamous; and would be p. 97more obliged to him that ſhould deny that ever he had a Being in the world, than to ſay he did indeed live, but he was a Sot, a debaucht Perſon, and a man not to be truſted. When we apprehend God deceitful in his promiſes, unrighteous in his threatnings, unwilling to pardon upon repentance, or reſolved to pardon notwithſtanding impenitency: Theſe are things either unworthy of the Nature of God, or contrary to that Revelation he hath given of himſelf. Better for a man never to have been born, than be for ever miſerable; ſo better to be thought no God, than repreſented impotent or negligent, unjuſt or deceitful; which are more contrary to the Nature of God, than Hell can be to the greateſt Criminal. In this ſenſe perhaps the Apoſtle affirms the Gentiles, Eph. 2.12. to be ſuch as are without God in the World; as being more Atheiſts in adoring God under ſuch Notions, as they commonly did, than if they had acknowledged no God at all.

2. This is evident by our natural deſire to be diſtant from him, and unwillingneſs to have any acquaintance with him. Sin ſet us firſt at a diſtance from God; and every new act of groſs Sin eſtrangeth us more from him, and indiſpoſeth us more for him: It makes us both afraid and aſhamed to be neer him. Senſual men were of this frame that Job diſcourſeth of, Job. 21.7, 8, 9, and 14, and 15. verſes: Where grace reigns, the neerer to God, the more vigorous the motion; The neerer any thing approaches to us, that is the Object of our deſires, the more eagerly do we preſs forward to it: But our blood riſeth at the approaches of any thing to which we have an averſion: We have naturally a loathing of Gods coming to us or our return to him: We ſeek not after him as our happineſs; and when he offers himſelf, we like it nor, but put a diſgrace upon him in chuſing other things before him. God and we are naturally at as great a diſtance, as Light and Darkneſs, Life and Death, Heaven and Hell. The ſtronger impreſſion of God any thing hath, the more we fly from it. The glory of God in reflection upon Moſes his face ſcar'd the Iſraelites; they who had deſired God to ſpeak to them by Moſes, when they ſaw a ſignal impreſſion of God upon his Countenance, were afraid to come neer him, as they were before unwilling to come neer to God **Exod. 34.30.Exod 34:30: Not that the bleſſed God is in his own Nature a frightful Object; but our own guilt renders him ſo to us, and our ſelves indiſpoſed to converſe with him. As the light of the Sun is as irkſome to a diſtemper'd eye, as it is in its own Nature deſirable to a ſound one. The Saints themſelves have had ſo much frailty, that they have cried out, that they were undone, if they had any more than ordinary diſcoveries of God made unto them; as if they wiſhed him more remote from them. Vileneſs cannot endure the ſplendor of Majeſty, nor Guilt the glory of a Judge.

We have naturally, (1.) No deſire of remembrance of him, (2.) or converſe with him, (3.) or thorough return to him, (4.) or cloſe imitation of him: As if there were not any ſuch Being as God in the world; or as if we wiſhed there were none at all; ſo feeble and ſpiritleſs are our thoughts of the Being of a God.

(1.) No deſire for the remembrance of him. How delightful are other things in our minds? How burdenſome the Memorials of God, from whom we have our Being? With what pleaſure do we contemplate the Nature of Creatures; even of Flyes and Toads; while our minds tire in the ſearch of him, who hath beſtowed upon us our knowing and meditating Faculties? Though God ſhews himſelf to us in every Creature; in the meaneſt Weed, as well as the higheſt Heavens; and is more apparent in them to our reaſons than themſelves can be to our ſenſe; yet though we ſee them, we will not behold God in them: We will view them to pleaſe our ſenſe, to improve our reaſon in their natural perfections; but paſs by the conſideration of Gods perfections ſo viſibly beaming from them. Thus we play the Beaſts and Atheiſts in the very exerciſe of reaſon, and neglect our Creator to gratifie our ſenſe; as though the pleaſure of that were more deſireable than the knowledge of God: The deſire of our Souls is not towards his Name and the Remembrance of him, **Iſa. 26.8.Isa 26:8when we ſet not our ſelves in a poſture to feaſt our Souls with deep and ſerious meditations of him; have a thought of him, only by the by and away, as if we were afraid of too intimate acquaintance with him.

Are not the thoughts of God rather our Invaders, than our Gueſts; ſeldome invited to reſide and take up their home in our hearts? Have we not when they have broke in upon us, bid them depart from us, **Job. 22.17.Job 22:17and warned them to come no more p. 98upon our ground; ſent them packing as ſoon as we could, and were glad when they were gone? And when they have departed, have we not often been afraid they ſhould return again upon us; and therefore lookt about for other inmates, things not good; or if good, infinitely below God, to poſſeſs the room of our hearts before any thoughts of him ſhould appear again? Have we not often been glad of excuſes to ſhake off preſent thoughts of him; and when we have wanted real ones, found out pretences to keep God and our hearts at a diſtance? Is not this a part of Atheiſm to be ſo unwilling to imploy our faculties about the giver of them, to refuſe to exerciſe them in a way of a grateful remembrance of him; as though they were none of his gift, but our own acquiſition; as though the God that truly gave them, had no right to them; and he that thinks on us every day in a way of Providence, were not worthy to be thought on by us in a way of ſpecial Remembrance?

Do not the beſt, that love the remembrance of him, and abhorr this natural averſneſs, find, that when they would think of God, many things tempt them and turn them to think elſewhere? Do they not find their apprehenſions too feeble, their motions too dull, and the impreſſions too ſlight? This natural Atheiſm is ſpread over humane nature.

(2.) No deſire of converſe with him. The word remember in the command for keeping holy the Sabbath-Day, including all the duties of the Day, and the choiceſt of our lives; implies our natural unwillingneſs to them, and forgetfulneſs of them: Gods preſſing this Command with more reaſons than the reſt, manifeſts that man hath no heart for Spiritual Duties. No ſpiritual duty, which ſets us immediately Face to Face with God; but in the attempts of it, we find naturally a reſiſtance, from ſome powerful Principle; ſo that every one may ſubſcribe to the ſpeech of the Apoſtle, that when we would do good, evil is preſent with them. No reaſon of this can be rendred, but the natural temper of our Souls, and an affecting a diſtance from God under any conſideration: For though our guilt firſt made the breach, yet this averſion to a converſe with him ſteps up without any actual reflections upon our guilt, which may render God terrible to us as an offended Judge: Are we not often alſo in our attendance upon him, more pleaſed with the modes of Worſhip which gratifie our fancy, than to have our Souls inwardly delighted with the Object of Worſhip, himſelf?

This is a part of our natural Atheiſm. To caſt ſuch duties off by total neglect, or in part, by affecting a coldneſs in them; is to caſt off the Fear of the Lord. **Job. 15.4.Job 15:4Not to call upon God, and not to know him, are one and the ſame thing. Jer. 10.25. Either we think there is no ſuch Being in the world, or that he is ſo ſlight a one, that he deſerves not the reſpect he calls for; or ſo impotent and poor, that he cannot ſupply what our neceſſities require.

(3.) No deſire of a thorough return to him. The firſt man fled from him after his defection, though he had no refuge to fly to, but the grace of his Creator. Cain went from his preſence, would be a Fugitive from God, rather than a Suppliant to him; when by Faith in, and application of the promiſed Redeemer, he might have eſcaped the wrath to come for his Brothers blood, and mitigated the ſorrows he was juſtly ſentenced to bear in the World. Nothing will ſeparate prodigal Man from commoning with Swine, and make him return to his Father, but an empty Trough: Have we but husks to feed on, we ſhall never think of a Fathers preſence. It were well if our ſores and indigence would drive us to him; but when our ſtrength is devoured, we will not return to the Lord our God, nor ſeek him for all this. **Hoſ. 7.10.Hos 7:10Not his drawn Sword as a God of Judgment, nor his mighty Power as a Lord, nor his open Arms as the Lord their God, could move them to turn their eyes and their hearts towards him. The more he invites us to partake of his grace, the further we run from him to provoke his wrath: The louder God called them by his Prophets, the cloſer they ſtuck to their Baal. **Hoſ. 11.2.Hos 11:2We turn our backs when he ſtretches out his hand, ſtop our ears when he lifts up his voice: We fly from him when he courts us, and ſhelter our ſelves in any buſh from his merciful hand, that would lay hold upon us; nor will we ſet our faces towards him, till our way be hedged up with thorns, and not a gap left to creep out any by-way.**Hoſ. 2.6.7.Hos 2:6Hos 2:7 Whoſoever is brought to a return, puts the Holy-Ghoſt to the pain of ſtriving; he is not eaſily brought to a ſpiritual ſubjection p. 99to God, nor perſwaded to a Surrender at a Summons, but ſweetly over power'd by ſtorm, and victoriouſly drawn into the Arms of God: God ſtands ready, but the heart ſtands off; Grace is full of intreaties, and the Soul full of excuſes: Divine love offers, and Carnal ſelf-love rejects: Nothing ſo pleaſes us, as when we are furtheſt from him; as if any thing were more amiable, any thing more deſirable than himſelf.

(4.) No deſire of any cloſe imitation of him. When our Saviour was to come as a Refiners fire to purifie the Sons of Levi, the cry is, who ſhall abide the day of his coming? Mal. 3.2, 3. Since we are alienated from the Life of God, we deſire no more naturally to live the Life of God, than a Toad or any other Animal deſires to live the Life of a Man: No heart that knows God, but hath a holy ambition to imitate him. No Soul that refuſeth him for a Copy, but is ignorant of his Excellency: Of this temper is all Mankind naturally. Man in Corruption is as loth to be like God in Holineſs; as Adam after his Creation was deſirous to be like God in Knowledge; his Poſterity are like their Father, who ſoon turned his back upon his original Copy.

What can be worſe than this? Can the denial of his Being be a greater injury than this contempt of him; as if he had not goodneſs to deſerve our remembrance, nor amiableneſs fit for our converſe; as if he were not a Lord fit for our ſubjection, nor had a Holineſs that deſerved our imitation?

For the uſe of this. It ſerves,

1. For Information.

1. It gives us occaſion to admire the wonderful Patience and Mercy of God. How many Millions of practical Atheiſts breath every day in his Air, and live upon his Bounty, who deſerve to be Inhabitants in Hell, rather than Poſſeſſors of the Earth? An infinite Holineſs is offended, an infinite Juſtice is provoked; yet an infinite Patience forbears the Puniſhment, and an infinite Goodneſs relieves our wants: The more we had merited his Juſtice and forfeited his Favour, the more is his affection inhanc'd, which makes his hand ſo liberal to us.

At the firſt invaſion of his rights, he mitigates the terror of the threatning which was ſet to defend his Law, with the grace of a Promiſe to relieve and recover his rebellious Creature:**Gen. 3.15.Gen 3:15 Who would have looked for any thing but tearing Thunders, ſweeping Judgments, to raſe up the foundations of the apoſtate world? But oh, how great are his Bowels to his aſpiring Competitors? Have we not experimented his Contrivances for our good, though we have refuſed him for our happineſs? Has he not opened his Arms, when we ſpurned with our Feet; held out his alluring mercy, when we have brandiſht againſt him a rebellious ſword? Has he not intreated us while we have invaded him, as if he were unwilling to loſe us, who are ambitious to deſtroy our ſelves? Has he yet denyed us the care of his Providence, while we have denyed him the rights of his Honour, and would appropriate them to our ſelves? Has the Sun forborn ſhining upon us, though we have ſhot our Arrows againſt him? Have not our Beings been ſupported by his Goodneſs, while we have endeavoured to climb up to his Throne; and his mercies continued to charm us, while we have uſed them as weapons to injure him? Our own neceſſities might excite us to own him as our happineſs, but he adds his invitations to the voice of our wants. Has he not promiſed a Kingdom to thoſe that would ſtrip him of his Crown, and proclaimed Pardon upon Repentance to thoſe that would take away his Glory? And hath ſo twiſted together his own end which is his Honour, and mans true end, which is his Salvation, that a man cannot truly mind himſelf and his own Salvation, but he muſt mind Gods glory; and cannot be intent upon Gods honour, but by the ſame act he promotes himſelf and his own happineſs; So loth is God to give any juſt occaſion of diſſatisfaction to his Creature, as well as diſhonour himſelf. All thoſe wonders of his mercy are inhanc'd by the hainouſneſs of our Atheiſm; a multitude of gracious thoughts from him above the multitude of contempts from us.**Pſal. 106.…Ps 106 What Rebells in actual Arms againſt their Prince aiming at his Life, ever found that favour from him, to have all their neceſſaries richly afforded them, without which they would ſtarve, and without which they would be unable to manage their attempts, as we have received from God? Had not God had riches of goodneſs, forbearance and long ſuffering, and infinite riches too; p. 100the deſpight the world hath done him in refuſing him as their Rule, Happineſs, and End would have emptied him long agoe.**Rom. 2.4.Rom 2:4

2. It brings in a Juſtification of the exerciſe of his Juſtice. If it gives us occaſion loudly to praiſe his Patience; it alſo ſtops our mouths from accuſing any acts of his Vengeance. What can be too ſharp a recompence for the deſpiſing and diſgracing ſo great a Being? The higheſt contempt merits the greateſt anger; and when we will not own him for our happineſs, 'tis equal we ſhould feel the miſery of ſeparation from him. If he that is guilty of Treaſon deſerves to loſe his Life; what puniſhment can be thought great enough for him that is ſo diſingenious as to prefer himſelf before a God ſo infinitely good, and ſo fooliſh as to invade the rights of one infinitely powerful? 'Tis no injuſtice for a Creature, to be for ever left to himſelf, to ſee what advantage he can make of that ſelf he was ſo buſily imployed to ſet up in the place of his Creator. The Soul of Man deſerves an infinite puniſhment for deſpiſing an infinite good: And it is not unequitable, that that ſelf which Man makes his Rule and Happineſs above God, ſhould become his Torment and Miſery by the Righteouſneſs of that God whom he deſpiſed.

3. Hence ariſeth a neceſſity of a new ſtate and frame of Soul, to alter an Atheiſtical Nature. We forget God: Think of him with reluctancy: Have no reſpect to God in our courſe and acts: This cannot be our original ſtate. God being infinitely good, never let man come out of his hands with this actual unwillingneſs to acknowledge and ſerve him: He never intended to dethrone himſelf for the work of his hands, or that the Creature ſhould have any other end than that of his Creator: As the Apoſtle ſaith in the Caſe of the Galatians Error, Gal. 5.8. This perſwaſion came not of him that called you; ſo this frame comes not from him that created you: How much therefore do we need a reſtoring Principle in us? Inſtead of ordering our ſelves according to the Will of God, we are deſirous to fulfil the Wills of the Fleſh **Epheſ. 2.3.Eph 2:3: There is a neceſſity of ſome other principle in us to make us fulfil the Will of God, ſince we were created for God, not for the Fleſh.

We can no more be voluntarily ſerviceable to God, while our ſerpentine nature, and Devilliſh habits remain in us; than we can ſuppoſe the Devil can be willing to glorifie God, while the nature he contracted by his fall abides powerfully in him. Our Nature and Will muſt be changed, that our actions may regard God as our End, that we may delightfully meditate on him, and draw the motives of our obedience from him. Since this Atheiſm is ſeated in Nature, the change muſt be in our Nature: Since our firſt aſpirings to the rights of God, were the fruits of the Serpents breath which tainted our Nature; there muſt be a removal of this taint, whereby our Natures may be on the ſide of God againſt Satan, as they were before on the ſide of Satan againſt God. There muſt be a ſupernatural Principle before we can live a ſupernatural Life, i. e. live to God, ſince we are naturally alienated from the Life of God: The averſion of our Natures from God, is as ſtrong as our inclination to evil; we are diſguſted with one, and preſſed with the other; we have no will, no heart, to come to God in any ſervice. This Nature muſt be broken in pieces and new moulded, before we can make God our Rule and our End: While mens deeds are evil, they cannot comply with God**Joh. 3.19, 20.John 3:19John 3:20; much leſs while their natures are evil: Till this be done, all the ſervice a man performs riſeth from ſome evil imagination of the heart, which is evil, only evil, and that continually **Gen. 6.5.Gen 6:5, from wrong Notions of God, wrong Notions of Duty, or corrupt Motives. All the pretences of Devotion to God, are but the Adoration of ſome golden Image. Prayers to God for the ends of ſelf, are like thoſe of the Devil to our Saviour, when he askt leave to go into the Herd of Swine: The Object was right, Chriſt; the end was the deſtruction of the Swine, and the ſatisfaction of their malice to the Owners: There is a neceſſity then that depraved ends ſhould be removed, that that which was Gods end in our framing, may be our end in our acting, viz. his glory, which cannot be without a change of Nature. We can never honour him ſupreamly whom we do not ſupreamly love: Till this be, we cannot glorifie God as God, though we do things by his Command and Order; no more, than when God imployed the Devil in afflicting Job **Job. 1.Job 1: His performance cannot be ſaid to be good, becauſe his end was not the ſame with Gods; he acted out of Malice, what God commanded out of Soveraignity, and for gracious deſigns: Had God imployed an Holy Angel in his p. 101deſign upon Job, the Action had been good in the Affliction; becauſe his Nature was holy, and therefore his ends holy; but bad in the Devil, becauſe his ends were baſe and unworthy.

4. We may gather from hence, the difficulty of Converſion, and Mortification to follow thereupon. What is the reaſon men receive no more impreſſion from the Voice of God and the Light of his Truth, than a dead man in the Grave doth from the roaring Thunder, or a blind Mole from the Light of the Sun? 'Tis becauſe our Atheiſm is as great as the deadneſs of the one, or the blindneſs of the other. The Principle in the heart is ſtrong to ſhut the door both of the thoughts and affections againſt God. If a Friend oblige us, we ſhall act for him as for our ſelves: We are won by intreaties, ſoft words overcome us; but our hearts are as deaf as the hardeſt Rock, at the call of God: Neither the joys of Heaven propoſed by him can allure us, nor the flaſht terrors of Hell affright us to him; as if we conceived God unable to beſtow the one, or execute the other: The true reaſon is, God and ſelf conteſt for the Deity: The Law of Sin is, God muſt be at the foot-ſtool; the Law of God is, Sin muſt be utterly depoſed: Now it is difficult to leave a Law beloved, for a Law long agoe diſcarded. The mind of man will hunt after any thing; the will of man embrace any thing; upon the propoſal of mean Objects the Spirit of man ſpreads its wings, flyes to catch them, becomes one with them: But attempt to bring it under the Power of God; the wings flag, the Creature looks liveleſs, as though there were no ſpring of motion in it: 'Tis as much crucified to God, as the holy Apoſtle was to the world: The ſin of the heart diſcovers its ſtrength, the more God diſcovers the holineſs of his Will. **Rom. 7.9, 10, 11, 12.Rom 7:9Rom 7:10Rom 7:11Rom 7:12The love of Sin hath been predominant in our Nature, has quaſht a love to God, if not extinguiſht it

Hence alſo is the difficulty of Mortification. This is a work tending to the honour of God, the abaſing of that inordinatley aſpiring humour in our ſelves. If the Nature of Man be inclin'd to Sin, as it is, it muſt needs be bent againſt any thing that oppoſes it. 'Tis impoſſible to ſtrike any true blow at any Luſt, till the true Senſe of God be re-entertained in the Soyl where it ought to grow. Who can be naturally willing to crucifie what is incorporated with him, his fleſh? what is deareſt to him, himſelf? Is it an eaſie thing for man, the Competitor with God, to turn his Arms againſt himſelf; that ſelf ſhould overthrow its own Empire; lay aſide all its pretenſions to, and deſigns for a God-head; to hew off its own members, and ſubdue its own affections? 'Tis the Nature of Man to cover his ſin, to hide it in his boſom**Job. 13.33. If I cover my Tranſgreſſion, as Adam.Job 13:33; not to deſtroy it; and as unwillingly part with his carnal affections, as the Legion of Devils were with the man that had been long poſſeſſed: And when he is forced and fired from one, he will endeavour to eſpouſe ſome other Luſt, as thoſe Devils deſired to poſſeſs Swine, when they were chaſed from their poſſeſſion of that man.

5. Here we ſee the reaſon of unbelief. That which hath moſt of God in it, meets with moſt averſion from us: That which hath leaſt of God, finds better and ſtronger inclinations in us. What is the reaſon, that the heart of Man is more unwilling to embrace the Goſpel, than acknowledge the equity of the Law? Becauſe there is more of Gods Nature and perfection evident in the Goſpel than in the Law: Beſides there is more reliance on God, and diſtance from ſelf commanded in the Goſpel. The Law puts a man upon his own ſtrength, the Goſpel takes him off from his own bottom: The Law acknowledges him to have a power in himſelf, and to act for his own reward; the Goſpel ſtrips him of all his proud and towring thoughts **2 Cor. 10.5.2 Cor 10:5, brings him to his due place, the foot of God; orders him to deny himſelf as his own Rule, Righteouſneſs and End; and henceforth not to live to himſelf. **2 Cor. 5.15.2 Cor 5:15This is the true reaſon why men are more againſt the Goſpel than againſt the Law; becauſe it doth more deify God, and debaſe Man. Hence it is eaſier to reduce men to ſome Moral Vertue, than to Faith; to make men bluſh at their outward Vices, but not at the inward impurity of their Natures. Hence it is obſerved; that thoſe that aſſerted, that all happineſs did ariſe from ſomething in a mans ſelf, as the Stoicks and Epicureans did; and that a wiſe man was equal with God; were greater Enemies to the truths of the Goſpel than others, Acts 17.18. becauſe it lays the Ax to the root of their principal Opinion. Takes the one from their ſelf-ſufficiency, and the other from their ſelf-gratification: It oppoſeth the brutiſh principle of the one, which placed happineſs in the pleaſures of the body, and the more noble principle of the other, which placed happineſs p. 102in the vertue of the mind: The one was for a ſenſual, the other for a moral ſelf; both diſowned by the Doctrin of the Goſpel.

6. It informs us conſequently, who can be the Author of Grace and Converſion, and every other good Work. No practical Atheiſt ever yet turned to God, but was turned by God; and not to acknowledge it to God, is a part of this Atheiſm, ſince it is a robbing God of the honour of one of his moſt glorious Works. If this practical Atheiſm be natural to man ever ſince the firſt taint of Nature in Paradice, what can be expected from it but a reſiſting of the work of God, and ſetting up all the forces of Nature againſt the operations of Grace, till a day of power dawn and clear up upon the Soul**Pſal. 110.3.Ps 110:3: Not all the Angels in Heaven, or men upon Earth, can be imagined to be able to perſwade a Man to fall out with himſelf. Nothing can turn the Tide of Nature, but a Power above Nature. God took away the ſanctifying Spirit from man, as a Penalty for the firſt ſin: Who can regain it but by his Will and Pleaſure? Who can reſtore it but he that remov'd it? Since every man hath the ſame fundamental Atheiſm in him by Nature, and would be a Rule to himſelf and his own End; he is ſo far from dethroning himſelf, that all the ſtrength of his corrupted Nature is alarm'd up to ſtand to their Arms, upon any attempt God makes to regain the Fort. The Will is ſo ſtrong againſt God, that 'tis like many wills twiſted together, Eph. 2.3. Wills of the Fleſh, we tranſlate it the deſires of the fleſh: Like many Threds twiſted in a Cable, never to be ſnapt aſunder by a human Arm; a Power and Will above ours, can only untwiſt ſo many Wills in a knot. Man cannot riſe to an acknowledgement of God without God: Hell may as well become Heaven, the Devil be changed into an Angel of Light. The Devil cannot but deſire happineſs; he knows the miſery into which he is fallen; he cannot be deſirous of that puniſhment he knows is reſerved for him. Why doth he not ſanctifie God and glorifie his Creator, wherein there is abundantly more pleaſure than in his malicious courſe? Why doth he not petition to recover his ancient ſtanding? He will not; there are Chains of Darkneſs upon his faculties; he will not be otherwiſe than he is: His deſire to be God of the World ſways him againſt his own intereſt; and out of love to his malice, he will not ſin at a leſs rate to make a diminution of his puniſhment. Man, if God utterly refuſeth to work upon him, is no better; and to maintain his Atheiſm, would venture a Hell. How is it poſſible for a man to turn himſelf to that God, againſt whom he hath a quarrel in his Nature; the moſt rooted and ſettled habit in him being to ſet himſelf in the place of God? An Atheiſt by Nature, can no more alter his own temper, and engrave in himſelf the Divine Nature, than a Rock can carve it ſelf into the Statue of a man, or a Serpent that is an Enemy to Man, could or would raiſe it ſelf to the Nobility of the humane Nature. That Soul that by Nature would ſtrip God of his Rights, cannot without a Divine Power be made conformable to him, and acknowledg ſincerely and cordially the Rights and Glory of God.

7. We may here ſee the reaſon why there can be no juſtification by the beſt and ſtrongeſt works of Nature. Can that which hath Atheiſm at the root, juſtifie either the action or perſon? What ſtrength can thoſe works have, which have neither Gods Law for their Rule, nor his Glory for their End; that are not wrought by any ſpiritual ſtrength from him, nor tend with any ſpiritual affection to him? Can theſe be a foundation for the moſt holy God to pronounce a Creature righteous? They will juſtifie his Juſtice in condemning, but cannot ſway his Juſtice to an Abſolution. Every natural man in his works, picks and chuſes; he owns the Will of God no further than he can wring it to ſute the law of his Members; and minds not the honour of God, but as it juſtles not with his own glory and ſecular ends. Can he be righteous that prefers his own Will and his own Honour, before the Will and Honour of the Creator? However mens actions may be beneficial to others, what reaſon hath God to eſteem them, wherein there is no reſpect to him but themſelves; whereby they dethrone him in their thoughts, while they ſeem to own him in their religious works? Every day reproves us with ſomething different from the Rule: Thouſands of wandrings offer themſelves to our eyes. Can Juſtification be expected from that which in it ſelf is matter of deſpair?

8. See here the cauſe of all the apoſtacy in the World. Practical Atheiſm was never conquered in ſuch: They are ſtill alienated from the Life of God, and will not live p. 103to God, as he lives to himſelf and his own honour.**Eph. 4.17, 18.Eph 4:17Eph 4:18 They loath his Rule, and diſtaſte his Glory; are loth to ſtep out of themſelves to promote the ends of another; find not the ſatisfaction in him as they do in themſelves: They will be Judges of what is good for them and righteous in it ſelf, rather than admit of God to judge for them. When men draw back from Truth to Error; 'tis to ſuch opinions which may ſerve more to foment and cheriſh their Ambition, Covetouſneſs, or ſome beloved Luſt that diſpates with God for precedency, and is deſigned to be ſerved before him, John 12.42.43. They love the praiſe of men more than the praiſe of God. A preferring man before God, was the reaſon they would not confeſs Chriſt, and God in him.

9. This ſhews us the excellency of the Goſpel and Chriſtian Religion. It ſets man in his due place, and gives to God what the Excellency of his Nature requires ∴ It lays man in the duſt from whence he was taken, and ſets God upon that Throne where he ought to ſi… Man by Nature would annihilate God and deiſie himſelf; the Goſpel glorifies God and annihilates Man. In our firſt revolt we would be like him in knowledge; in the means he hath provided for our recovery, he deſigns to make us like him in Grace: The Goſpel ſhews our ſelves to be an Object of Humiliation, and God to be a glorious Object for our Imitation. The Light of Nature tells us there is a God; the Goſpel gives us a more magnificent report of him: The light of Nature condemns groſs Atheiſm, and that of the Goſpel condemns and conquers ſpiritual Atheiſm in the hearts of men.

Uſe 2. Of Exhortation

1. Let us labour to be ſenſible of this Atheiſm in our Nature, and be humbled for it. How ſhould we lye in the Duſt, and go bowing under the humbling thoughts of it all our days? Shall we not be ſenſible of that whereby we ſpill the blood of our Souls, and give a ſtabb to the heart of our own Salvation? Shall we be worſe than any Creature, not to bewail that which tends to our deſtruction? He that doth not lament it, cannot challenge the Character of a Chriſtian, hath nothing of the divine Life and Love planted … his Soul. Not a man but ſhall one day be ſenſible, when the Eternal God ſhall call him out to Examination, and charge his Conſcience to diſcover every Crime, which will then own the Authority whereby it acted; when the heart ſhall be torn open, and the ſecrets of it brought to publick view; and the World and Man himſelf ſhall ſee what a viperous Brood of corrupt Principles and Ends neſted in his Heart. Let us therefore be truly ſenſible of it, till the conſideration draw tears from our Eyes, and ſorrow from our Souls: Let us urge the thoughts of it upon our hearts, till the Core of that Pride be eaten out, and our Stubborneſs changed into Humility: Till our Heads become Waters, and our Eyes Fountains of tears, and be a ſpring of Prayer to God to change the heart, and mortifie the Atheiſm in it; and conſider what a ſad thing it is to be a practical Atheiſt: And who is not ſo by Nature?

1. Let us be ſenſible of it in our ſelves. Have any of our hearts been a Soyl wherein the Fear and Reverence of God hath naturally grown? Have we a deſire to know him, or a will to embrace him? Do we delight in his Will, and love the remembrance of his Name? Are our reſpects to him as God, equal to the ſpeculative knowledge we have of his Nature? Is the heart wherein he hath ſtampt his Image, reſerved for his Reſidence? Is not the world more affected than the Creator of the world; as though that could contribute to us a greater happineſs than the Author of it? Have not Creatures as much of our love, fear, truſt; nay, more than God that framed both them and us? Have we not too often relyed upon our own ſtrength, and made a Calf of our own wiſdom, and ſaid of God as the Iſraelites of Moſes, As for this Moſes we wot not what is become of him, Exod. 32.1. and given oftener the glory of our good ſucceſs to our Dragg and our Net, to our Craft and our Induſtry, than to the wiſdom and bleſſing of God? Are we then free from this ſort of Atheiſm**Lawſon body of Divinity pa. 153. 154.? 'Tis as impoſſible to have two Gods at one time in one heart, as to have two Kings at one time in full power in one Kingdom. Have there not been frequent neglects of God? Have we not been deaf whilſt he hath knocked at our doors; ſlept when he hath ſounded in our Ears, as if there had been no ſuch Being as a God in the world? How many ſtruglings have been againſt our approaches to him? Hath not folly often been committed with vain imaginations ſtarting up in the time of Religious Service, p. 104which we would ſcarce vouchſafe a look to at another time, and in another buſineſs, but would have thruſt them away with indignation? Had they ſtept in to interrupt our worldly Affairs, they would have been troubleſome Intruders, but while we are with God they are acceptable Gueſts. How unwilling have our hearts been to fortifie themſelves with ſtrong and influencing conſiderations of God, before we addreſt to him? Is it not too often that our lifeleſneſs in Prayer proceeds from this Atheiſm; a neglect of ſeeing what Arguments and Pleas may be drawn from the didine perfections, to ſecond our ſuit in hand, and quicken our hearts in the ſervice? Whence are thoſe indiſpoſitions to any ſpiritual duty, but becauſe we have not due thoughts of the Majeſty, Holineſs, Goodneſs and Excellency of God? Is there any duty which leads to a more particular inquiry after him, or a more clear viſion of him; but our hearts have been ready to riſe up and call it curſed rather than bleſſed? Are not our minds bemiſted with an ignorance of him, our wills drawn by averſion from him, our affections riſing in diſtaſt of him? More willing to know any thing than his Nature, and more induſtrious to do any thing than his Will? Do we not all fall under ſome one or other of theſe conſiderations? Is it not fit then that we ſhould have a ſenſe of them? 'Tis to be bewail'd by us, that ſo little of God is in our hearts, when ſo many evidences of the love of God are in the Creatures; that God ſhould be ſo little our end, who hath been ſo much our Benefactor; that he ſhould be ſo litte in our thoughts, who ſparkles in every thing which preſents it ſelf to our eyes.

2. Let us be ſenſible of it in others. We ought to have a juſt execration of the too open iniquity in the midſt of us; and imitate holy David, whoſe tears plentifully guſht out, becauſe men kept not Gods Law. **Pſa. 119.136.Ps 119:136And is it not a time to exerciſe this pious lamentation? Hath the wicked Atheiſm of any age been greater, or can you find worſe in Hell, than we may hear of and behold on Earth? How is the excellent Majeſty of God, adored by the Angels in Heaven; deſpiſed and reproached by men on Earth; as if his name were publiſht to be matter of their ſport? What a gaſping thing is a natural ſenſe of God among men in the World? Is not the Law of God, accompanied with ſuch dreadful threatnings and curſes, made light of; as if men would place their honour in being above or beyond any ſenſe of that glorious Majeſty? How many wallow in Pleaſures, as if they had been made men, only to turn brutes, and their Souls given them only for Salt to keep their bodies from putrifying? Tis as well a part of Atheiſm not to be ſenſible of the abuſes of Gods name and Laws by others, as to violate them our ſelves: What is the language of a ſtupid ſenſeleſneſs of them, but that there is no God in the world, whoſe glory is worth a vindication and deſerves our regards?

That we may be ſenſible of the unworthineſs of neglecting God as our Rule and end; conſider,

1. The Ʋnreaſonableneſs of it as it concerns God.

1. Firſt, Tis a high contempt of God. Tis an inverting the order of things; a making God the higheſt, to become the loweſt, and ſelf the loweſt, to become the higheſt: To be guided by every baſe Companion, ſome idle vanity, ſome carnal intereſt, is to acknowledge an excellency abounding in them which is wanting in God: An equity in their orders and none in Gods precepts: A goodneſs in their promiſes and a falſity in Gods: As if infinite excellency were a meer vanity, and to act for God, were the debaſement of our reaſon; to act for ſelf or ſome pitiful Creature, or ſordid luſt, were the glory and advancement of it. To prefer any one ſin before the honour of God, is as if that ſin had been our Creator and Benefactor, as if it were the original cauſe of our being and ſupport. Do not men pay as great a homage to that as they do to God? Do not their minds eagerly purſue it? Are not the revolvings of it in their fancies as delightful to them, as the remembrance of God to a holy Soul? Do any obey the Commands of God with more readineſs, than they do the orders of their baſe affections? Did Peter leap more readily into the Sea to meet his Maſter, than many into the jaws of Hell to meet their Dalilah's? How cheerfully did the Iſraelites part with their Ornaments for the ſake of an Idol, who would not have ſpared a moiety for the honour of their Deliverer?**Exod. 32.3. All the people brake off the golden ear-rings.Exod 32:3 If to make God our end is the principal duty in nature, then to make ourſelves or any thing elſe our end, is the greateſt vice in the rank of evils.

p. 105Secondly, Tis a contempt of God as the moſt amiable object. God is infinitely excellent and deſirable, Zach. 9.17. How great is his goodneſs and how great is his beauty? There is nothing in him but what may raviſh our affections; none that knows him but finds attractives to keep them with him: He hath nothing in him which can be a proper object of contempt, no defects or ſhadow of evil; there is infinite excellency to charm us and infinite goodneſs to allure us; the Author of our beings, the Benefactor of our lives: Why then ſhould Man, which is his Image, be ſo baſe as to ſlight the beautiful original which ſtampt it on him? He is the moſt lovely object, therefore to be ſtudied, therefore to be honoured, therefore to be followed: In regard of his perfection he hath the higheſt right to our thoughts. All other beings were eminently contained in his eſſence, and were produced by his infinite power: The Creature hath nothing but what it hath from God: And is it not unworthy to prefer the Copy before the original, to fall in love with a Picture inſtead of the beauty it repreſents? The Creature which we advance to be our rule and end, can no more report to us the true amiableneſs of God, than a few Colours mixed and ſuted together upon a peice of cloth, can the moral and intellectual lovelineſs of the Soul of Man. To contemn God one moment is more baſe, than if all Creatures were contemned, by us for ever; becauſe the excellency of Creatures is to God, like that of a drop to the Sea, or a ſpark to the glory of unconceivable millions of Suns. As much as the excellency of God is above our conceptions, ſo much doth the debaſing of him admit of unexpreſſible aggravations.

2. Conſider the ingratitude in it. That we ſhould reſiſt that God with our hearts, who made us the work of his hands, and count him as nothing, from whom we derive all the good that we are or have: There is no contempt of Man but ſteps in here to aggravate our ſlighting of God; Becauſe there is no relation one man can ſtand in to another, wherein God doth not more highly appear to man. If we abhor the unworthy carriage of a Child to a tender Father, a Servant to an indulgent Maſter, a Man to his obliging Friend; why do men dayly act that towards God, which they cannot ſpeak of without abhorrency, if acted by another againſt man? I God a being leſs to be regarded than man, and more worthy of contempt than a Creature? [**Reynolds. It would be ſtrange if a benefactor ſhould live in the ſame Town, in the ſame houſe with us and we never exchange a word with him; yet this is our caſe, who have the works of God in our eyes, the goodneſs of God in our being, the mercy of God in our daily food] yet think ſo little of him, converſe ſo little with him, ſerve every thing before him, and prefer every thing above him? Whence have we our mercies but from his hand. Who, beſides him, maintains our breath this moment? Would he call for our Spirits this moment, they muſt depart from us to attend his Command. There is not a moment wherein our unworthy carriage is not aggravated, becauſe there is not a moment wherein he is not our guardian, and gives us not taſts of a freſh bounty. And it is no light aggravation of our Crime, that we injure him, without whoſe bounty in giving us our being, we had not been capable of caſting contempt upon him: That he that hath the greateſt ſtamp of his Image, Man, ſhould deſerve the Character of the worſt of his Rebels: That he who hath only reaſon by the gift of God to Judge of the equity of the Laws of God, ſhould ſwel againſt them as greivous, and the Government of the Lawgiver as burdenſome. Can it leſſen the crime to uſe the principle wherein we excel the beaſts to the diſadvantage of God, who endowed us with that principle above the beaſts?

1. Tis a debaſing of God beyond what the Devil doth at preſent. He is more excuſable in his preſent ſtate of acting, than man is in his preſent refuſing God for his Rule and End. He ſtrives againſt a God that exerciſeth upon him a vindictive Juſtice: We debaſe a God that loads us with his dayly mercies. The deſpairing Devils are excluded from any mercy or divine patience: But we are not only under the long ſuffering of his patience, but the large expreſſions of his bounty. He would not be governed by him when he was only his bountiful Creator. We refuſe to be guided by him after he hath given us the bleſſing of Creation from his own hand, and the more obliging bleſſings of Redemption by the hand and blood of his Son.

It cannot be imagined that the Devils and the damned ſhould ever make God their end, ſince he hath aſſured them he will not be their happineſs; and ſhut up all his perfections from their experimental notice, but thoſe of his power to preſerve p. 106them and his Juſtice, to puniſh them: They have no grant from God of ever having a heart to comply with his Will, or ever having the honour to be actively employed for his glory. They have ſome plea for their preſent contempt of God; not in regard of his nature, for he is infinitely amiable, excellent and lovely; but in regard of his adminiſtration towards them: But what plea can Man have for his Practical Atheiſm, who lives by his power, is ſuſtained by his bounty, and ſollicited by his Spirit? What an ungrateful thing is it to put off the nature of Man for that of Devils; and diſhonour God under mercy, as the Devils do under his wrathful anger?

2. Tis an ungratefull contempt of God, who cannot be injurious to us. He cannot do us wrong, becauſe he cannot be unjuſt, Gen. 18.25. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? His nature doth as much abhorr unrighteouſnes, as love a Communicative goodneſs: He never Commanded any thing, but what was highly conducible to the happineſs of man. Infinite goodneſs can no more injure man, than it can diſhonour it ſelf: It lays out it ſelf in additions of kindneſs, and whiles we debaſe him, he continues to benefit us: And is it not an unparalleld ingratitude to turn our backs upon an object ſo lovely, an object ſo loving in the midſt of varieties of allurements from him? God did Create intellectual Creatures, Angels and Men, that he might Communicate more of himſelf and his own goodneſs and holineſs to man, than Creatures of a lower rank were capable of. What do we do by rejecting him as our Rule and End, but croſs, as much as in us lies, Gods end in our Creation, and ſhut our Souls againſt the Communications of thoſe perfections he was ſo willing to beſtow? We uſe him as if he intended us the greateſt wrong, when tis impoſſible for him to do any to any of his Creatures.

3. Conſider the miſery which will attend ſuch a temper if it continue predominant. Thoſe that thruſt God away as their happineſs and end, can expect no other, but to be thruſt away by him as to any relief and Compaſſion. A diſtance from God here can look for nothing, but a remoteneſs from God hereafter. When the Devil, a Creature of vaſt Endowments, would advance himſelf above God, and inſtruct man to commit the ſame ſin he is Curſed above all Creatures. **Gen. 3.14.Gen 3:14When we will not acknowledge him a God of all glory, we ſhall be ſeparated from him as a God of all comfort: All they that are afar off ſhall periſh, Pſa. 73.27. This is the ſpring of all woe. What the Prodigal ſuffered, was becauſe he would leave his Father and live of himſelf. Whoſoever is ambitious to be his own Heaven; will it laſt find his Soul to become its own Hell. As it loved all things for it ſelf, ſo it ſhall be grieved with all things for it ſelf. As it would be its own God againſt the right of God, it ſhall then be its own tormenter by the Juſtice of God.

2. Duty, Watch againſt this Atheiſm and be dayly employed in the mortification of it. In every action we ſhould make the inquiry, what is the rule I obſerve? Is it Gods Will or my own? Whether do my intentions tend, to ſet up God or ſelf? As much as we deſtroy this, we abate the power of ſin: Theſe two things are the head of the Serpent in us, which we muſt be bruiſing by the power of the Croſs. Sin is nothing elſe but a turning from God and centring in ſelf, and moſt in the inferior part of ſelf: If we bend our force againſt thoſe two ſelf-Will, and ſelf-Ends, we ſhall intercept Atheiſm at the Spring head, take away that which doth conſtitute and animate all ſin: The ſparks muſt vaniſh, if the fire be quencht which affords them fuel. They are but two ſhort things to ask in every undertaking: Is God my Rule in regard of his Will? Is God my End in regard of his glory? All ſin lies in the neglect of theſe, all grace lies in the practice of them.

Without ſome degree of the mortification of theſe, we cannot make profitable and comfortable approaches to God. When we come with Idols in our hearts, we ſhall be anſwered according to the multitude and the baſeneſs of them too.**Ezek. 14.4.Ezek 14:4 What expectation of a good look from him can we have, when we come before him with undeifying thoughts of him; a Petition in our mouths and a Sword in our hearts to ſtab his honour?

To this purpoſe,

1. Be often in the views of the excellencies of God. When we have no intercourſe with God by delightful Meditations, we begin to be eſtranged from him, and prepare our ſelves to live without God in the world. Strangneſs is the Mother and p. 107Nurſe of diſaffection: We ſlight men ſometimes becauſe we know them not. The very beaſts delight in the Company of men, when being tamed and familiar, they become acquainted with their diſpoſition. A dayly converſe with God would diſcover ſo much of lovelineſs in his nature, ſo much of ſweetneſs in his ways, that our injurious thoughts of God would wear off, and we ſhould count it our honour to contemn our ſelves and magnifie him. By this means a ſlaviſh fear which is both a diſhonour to God and a torment to the Soul,**1 Joh. 4.18.1 John 4:18 and the root of Atheiſm, will be caſt out, and an ingenious fear of him wrought in the heart. Exerciſed thoughts on him would iſſue out in affections to him, which would engage our hearts to make him both our rule and our end. This courſe would ſtifle any temptations to groſs Atheiſm, wherewith good Souls are ſometimes haunted, by confirming us more in the belief of a God; and diſcourage any attempts, to a deliberate practical Atheiſm: We are not like to eſpouſe any principle which is confuted by the delightful converſe we dayly have with him. The more we thus enter into the preſence Chamber of God, the more we cling about him with our affections; the more vigorous and lively will the true Notion of God grow up in us, and be able to prevent any thing which may diſhonour him and debaſe our Souls.

Let us therefore conſider him as the only happineſs: Set up the true God in our underſtandings; poſſeſs our hearts with a deep ſenſe of his deſirable excellency above all other things. This is the main thing we are to do in order to our great buſineſs: All the directions in the world with the neglect of this, will be inſignificant Ciphers. The neglect of this is Common, and is the baſis of all the miſchiefs which happen to the Souls of men.

2. To this purpoſe, Prize and ſtudy the Scripture. We can have no delight in Meditation on him, unleſs we know him; and we cannot know him but by the means of his own Revelation: When the Revelation is deſpiſed, the Revealer will be of little eſteem. Men do not throw off God from being their rule, till they throw off Scripture from being their guide; and God muſt needs be caſt off from being an end, when the Scripture is rejected from being a Rule: Thoſe that do not care to know his Will, that love to be ignorant of his nature, can never be affected to his honour. Let therefore the ſubtilties of reaſon vail to the Doctrine of faith, and the humor of the Will to the Command of the word.

3. Take heed of ſenſual pleaſures, And be very watchful and cautious in the uſe of thoſe comforts God allows us. Job was afraid when his Sons feaſted, that they ſhould Curſe God in their hearts. **Job. 1.4.Job 1:4It was not without cauſe that the Apoſtle Peter joyned ſobriety with watchfulneſs and Prayer, 1 Pet. 4.7. The end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore ſober and watch unto Prayer. A moderate uſe of worldly comforts. Prayer is the great acknowledgment of God, and too much ſenſuality is a hindrance of this, and a ſtep to Atheiſm. Belſhazzars lifting himſelf up againſt the Lord, and not glorifying of God, is charged upon his ſenſuality, Dan. 5.23. Nothing is more apt to quench the Notions of God, and root out the Conſcience of him, than an addictedneſs to ſenſual pleaſures. Therefore take heed of that ſnare.

4. Take heed of ſins againſt knowledge. The more ſins againſt knowledge are committed, the more careleſs we are, and the more careleſs we ſhall be of God and his honour. We ſhall more fear his judicial power, and the more we fear that, the more we ſhall diſaffect that God in whoſe hand vengeance is, and to whom it doth belong. Atheiſm in converſation proceeds to Atheiſm in affection, and that will endeavour to ſink into Atheiſm in opinion and Judgment.

The Sum of the Whole.

And now conſider in the whole what has been ſpoken.

1. Man would ſet himſelf up as his own Rule. He diſowns the Rule of God, is unwilling to have any acquaintance with the Rule God ſets him, negligent in uſing the means for the knowledge of his Will; and Endeavours to ſhake it off when any notices of it breaks in upon him. VVhen he cannot expel it, he hath no pleaſure in the Conſideration of it, and the heart ſwels againſt it. VVhen the Notions of the Will of God are entertained, it is on ſome other Conſideration, or with wavering and unſetled affections. Many times men deſigne to improve ſome luſt by his truth. p. 108This unwillingneſs reſpects Truth as tis moſt Spiritual and holy; as it moſt relates and leads to God; as it is moſt contrary to ſelf. He is guilty of Contempt of the Will of God, which is ſeen in every preſumptuous breach of his Law. In the natural averſions to the declaration of his Will and mind which way ſoever he turns. In ſlighting that part of his Will which is moſt for his honour. In the awkwardneſs of the heart, when it is to pay God a ſervice. A conſtraint in the firſt engagement, ſlightneſs in the ſervice, in regard of the matter; in regard of the frame, without a natural vigour. Many diſtractions, much wearineſs, in deſerting the Rule of God, when our expectations are not anſwered upon our ſervice, in breaking promiſes with God.

Man naturally owns any other Rule, rather than that of Gods preſcribing. The Rule of Satan; the Will of Man; In complying more with the dictates of Men than the Will of God; In obſerving that which is materially ſo, not becauſe it is his Will, but the injunctions of Men. In obeying the Will of Man when it is contrary to the Will of God. This Man doth in order to the ſetting up himſelf. This is natural to Man as he is corrupted. Men are diſatisfied with their own Conſciences when they contradict the deſires of ſelf. Moſt actions in the world are done, more becauſe they are agreeable to ſelf, than as they are honourable to God: As they are agreable to natural and moral ſelf or ſinful ſelf. 'Tis evident in neglects of taking Gods directions upon emergent occaſions. In counting the actions of others to be good or bad, as they ſute with or ſpurn againſt our fancies and humors. Man would make himſelf the Rule of God, and give laws to his Creator: In ſtriving againſt his Law: Diſapproving of his Methods of Government in the world; in impatience in our particular concerns; envying the gifts and proſperity of others: Corrupt matter or ends of Prayer or praiſe: Bold interpretations of the Judgments of God in the world. Mixing Rules in the Worſhip of God with thoſe which have been ordained by him. Suting interpretations of Scripture with our own minds and humors. Falling off from God after ſome fair compliances, when his Will grates upon us and croſſeth ours.

2. Man would be his own end. This is natural and univerſal. This is ſeen in frequent ſelf applauſes and inward overweening reflections. In aſcribing the glory of what we do or have to our ſelves. In deſire of ſelf pleaſing Doctrines. In being highly concerned in injuries done to our ſelves, and little or not at all concerned for injuries done to God. In truſting in our ſelves. In workings for Carnal ſelf againſt the light of our own Conſciences, this is a uſurping Gods prerogative, vilifying God, deſtroying God. Man would make any thing his end or happineſs rather than God. This appears in the fewer thoughts we have of him than of any thing elſe. In the greedy purſuit of the world. In the ſtrong addictedneſs to ſenſual pleaſures. In paying a ſervice upon any ſucceſs in the world to inſtruments more than to God. This is a debaſing God in ſetting up a Creature; But more in ſetting up a baſe luſt: Tis a denying of God. Man would make himſelf the end of all Creatures. In pride; uſing the Creatures contrary to the end God hath appointed. This is to diſhonour God; And it is Diabolical. Man would make himſelf the end of God. In loving God, becauſe of ſome ſelf pleaſing benefits diſtributed by him. In abſtinence from ſome ſins, becauſe they are againſt the intereſt of ſome other beloved Corruption. In performing duties meerly for a ſelfiſh intereſt which is evident in unwealdineſs in Religious duties where ſelf is not concern'd. In calling upon God only in a time of neceſſity. In begging his aſſiſtance to our own projects, after we have by our own Craft laid the Plot. In impatience upon a refuſal of our deſires. In ſelfiſh aims we have in our duties. This is a vilifying God, a dethroning him. In unworthy imaginations of God, univerſal in Man by nature. Hence ſpring Idolatry, Superſtition, Preſumption, the common diſeaſe of the world. This is a vilifying God; worſe than Idolatry, worſe than abſolute Atheiſm. Natural deſires to be diſtant from him. No deſires for the remembrance of him. No deſires of converſe with him. No deſires of a through return to him. No deſire of any cloſe imitation of him.