Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. Opening the Atheiſme of Man, and the haynouſneſſe thereof.
IN carnall and naturall mans eſtrangement from God, in his being without God, we may ſee and behold a deluge of Atheiſme overflowing and drowning the men of the world, as once the deluge of waters overflowed and drowned the earth.Sorts of Atheiſts.
Some are Atheiſts in opinion, concluding,1. In Opinion. or at leaſt ſuppoſing that there is no God at all, ſaying in their hearts, there is no God; A generation of men ſinning againſt the great and glorious workmanſhip of God in the Creation of the world, wherein he that runnes may read as in lively characters the inviſible things of God, the power, wiſedome, and goodneſſe of God. Tranſgreſſing againſt the providence, authority, dominion, and wiſedome of God, clearly ſhining in his moſt wiſe, and powerfull preſervation, moderation, diſpenſation, and ordering of the whole univerſe, and all the particulars thereof, as a great Centurion his army, as a prudent Lord and Maſter his family. Subverting and overthrowing all Religion, and divine worſhip, as if it were but a politicke deviſe to keep men in awe, as children with tales, and ſtories of bug-beares, and hob-goblins, there being no God to be adored, no ſupreame and eternall Lord and Soveraigne to be ſerved, no Hell to be feared, no Heaven to be deſired. Letting looſe the raines to all licentiouſneſſe, as if there were no Law to be tranſgreſſed, no puniſhment to be inflicted, offending against the honour and dignity of mans condition, equalizing the very beaſts with man, as if man were to periſh like the beaſts, partaking king after death of no greater glory then the beaſts partake of, extinguiſhing the very light of nature, by which the very heathens of all ages have acknowledged a ſupreame, divine being; ſhamefully diſgracing and diſhonouring the ſacred Scriptures, as if they were either ſo many empty lamps or falſe lights ſet up for ſhew and not for truth; haynouſly ſinning alſo againſt Chriſt: if there be no God, then was Chriſts undertaking with God for man in vaine, then he ſuffered to no purpoſe, then had he no authority, no commiſſion from above, and ſo is made the greateſt Impoſter and deceiver that ever the earth did beare; a generation of men theſe are worſe then the Devils, for they beleeve and tremble. O the miſerable condition whereinto ſinne hath caſt man, cauſing him to deny the being of that God who gave him being, the fruition of whom was the Paradiſe of mans ſoule at his firſt Creation, and is now the ſweeteſt joy and glory of mankinde, being either in the ſtate of grace, or in the Kingdome of Heaven.
Some are Atheiſts in practiſe, profeſſing (as the Apoſtle ſaith) that they know God, but in works deny him. Some make Idols their God, bowing downe before a ſtocke and a ſtone, as the ſuperſtitious; ſome make worldly goods their God, as the covetous; ſome make meat and drinke their God, as the drunkard and glutton; ſome make honours and high places their God, as the ambitious; ſome make carnall delights and paſtimes their God, as the voluptuous and pleaſure-hunters; ſome make whores and harlots their God, as the wanton and adulterous; ſome make their workes their God, as the merit-mongers; ſome make their naked attendance upon holy Ordinances their God, as the the carnall-Goſpellers; ſome make their morall vertues their God, as the civill man; ſome make their formes of godlineſſe, and outward ſhewes their God, as the hypocrites, &c. All theſe, and ſuch like, though they profeſſe God, yet in practiſe they are Atheiſts, and doe deny God:Atheiſme in practiſe demonſtrated. 1. Looſe-living He that diſcernes not the ſeeds, reliques, and movings of this abomination in himſelfe, never yet knew himſelfe, nor the ſtate of his owne heart; And what doth 1. mens looſe-living under the Goſpell, mens running into all exceſſe of ryot, contrary to their holy calling, the nature of the Goſpell, and ſuch plaine and powerfull perſwaſion from Heaven proclaimes? but the Atheiſme of their ſoules, not beleeving the truth of God, reputing Gods meſſengers as bablers, and the ſacred truths which they deliver, as fables.
2. What doth mens ſinning ſo freely in ſecret,2. Secret ſinning. taking ſuch pleaſure in contemplative wickedneſſe, within the cloſer of their owne hearts, and taking ſuch liberty to doe evill in the darke, where the eye of man beholds it not, what doth this argue? but a ſecret Atheiſme lurking in their ſoules, having no apprehenſion of Gods preſence, of Gods Al-ſeeing eye, having no remembrance that God is every where, filling all places, privy to all the movings and ſtirrings of their hearts. Were not the hearts of men very Atheiſticall, they would not dare doe that in the ſight of God which they will not doe in the eyes of men.
3 Fearleſneſſe of Iudgements3. What doth mens feareleſneſſe of denounced judgements, mens putting off the evill day farre away: Mens ſinning ſecurely, mens flattering themſelves in an eſtate wherein they are ready to drop every moment into Hell, hanging by the weake thread of their fraile life over the bottomleſſe pit, what doth this declare? but Atheiſme, not beleeving that God is ſuch a juſt and righteous God, ſuch a hater and revenger of ſinne as indeed he is.
4. What doth mens ſeldome praying, cold praying,4. Seldome and cold praying. irreverent praying proclaime? but an Atheiſticall ignorance, unſenſibleneſſe, and unapprehenſiveneſſe of Gods greatneſſe, glory and preſence: Kings and Monarchs are ſerved in great ſtate, becauſe men apprehend their Majeſty; men addreſſe themſelves to God, as to their fellow, becauſe they are neither powerfully perſwaded, nor workingly apprehenſive of his glorious preſence.
5. Sleighting of divine knowledge.5. What doth mens ſleighting of the meanes of the knowledge of God, mens neglecting of the ſalvation which God proffers them, mens undervaluing of Chriſt, mens ſeeking of the applauſe and favour of men, more then the approbation and favour of God, mens exalting of their luſts above God, mans ſeeking after and reſting upon the creature, mans ſacrificing to an arme of fleſh, mans ſuperficiall performance of the duties of Religion, what doe all theſe, and many ſuch bewray? but abundance of Atheiſme in the heart; for were this truth throughly rooted in the heart of man, were the meditation of this principle powerfully operative upon the ſoule of man, That God is, and that he is a God ſo glorious, ſo powerfull, ſo gracious, ſo al-ſufficient, and ſo farre ſurpaſſing all creatures, as indeed he is, it would move man to preferre the knowledge of God above all learning, the approbation of God above all praiſe, and the love of God above all favour, it would make all the luſts of the ſoule fall as Dagon before the Arke, were this predominant in, and effectually working upon the heart of man, no ſinne could ſtand before it, the creature would appeare to the eye of the ſoule as a thing of nought, man would be aſhamed of his beſt abilities, grieved for the imperfection of his holieſt ſervices, and apply himſelfe to the worke of his God with ſeven fold more diligence. O then complaine oft, and pray to God againſt thy ſecret Atheiſme, as againſt the great plague and peſt of thy ſoule, as againſt a beame in thy eye diſabling thee to ſee God, as againſt a fetter about thy feet, diſabling thee to come to God, as againſt a partition wall, hindering thy ſweet and comfortable communion with God. In carnall mans eſtrangement from God, in his being without God, we may ſee the miſerable and wretched condition of corrupt and carnall man; we repute the body miſerable without a ſoule to enliven it, the world miſerable without the Sun to enlighten it, the beſieged City miſerable without a Captaine to reſcue it, or wall to defend it, the thirſty miſerable without a fountaine to refreſh him, the wandring traveller miſerable without a guide to direct him, the forſaken miſerable without a friend to comfort him, &c. But here is the miſery of all miſeries to be without God, to be eſtranged from God, who is the ſoule enlivening, the Sun guiding, the great Centurion reſcuing, the wall of fire defending, the fountaine refreſhing, the guide leading, and the friend ſolacing man: We ſee Hagar weeping, when her bottle is empty, and hath no water, Rachel mourning for her children, and will not be comforted, becauſe they are not, the wife of Phin…as refuſing to be comforted, becauſe the Arke is carried away, Idolatrous Micah running and crying as a man undone, becauſe his Idoll, his imaginary God is taken from him, but what is the loſſe of theſe, and a thouſand ſuch things as theſe are to loſſe of God, ſurely no more then the loſſe of a gloe-worme to the loſſe of the Sun, then the loſſe of a ſtraw to the loſſe of a precious pearle. Here is cauſe indeed of mourning, crying, complaining,Evils of being without God. 1. Full of Satan. lamentation to be without God: For he that is without God, is 1. Full of Satan, he that is empty of one is full of the other, when God forſakes the houſe of mans ſoule, Satan takes the poſſeſſion, he becomes the dweller, he like an armed man keeps the Fort in mans heart, he like a Prince ſets up his Throne, and keeps his Court in the City of mans ſoule, when God is gone Satan enters in, the leſſe of God, the more of Satan in the ſoule of man: When the houſe in the Parable was empty,Mat. 12. then the uncleane ſpirit entred with ſeven others worſe then himſelfe, when the ſoule is empty of God, Satan fils it with a troop of all abominations, then he blindes the underſtanding, that they cannot ſee nor God, nor Chriſt, nor themſelves, then he gaggs their mouthes, that as the man that had a dumbe Devill, they can neither ſpeake for God, nor to God, then he bowes them downe to the world, and makes them drudges and ſlaves to the earth, like the woman that had a ſpirit of infirmity, that they cannot looke up to God, they cannot thinke on God, nor the things which are above, then he caſts them into the fire of rage, fury and anger,Mar. 9.22. and into the waters of drunkenneſſe, ſenſuall luſts, and carnall pleaſures; as he caſt the mans ſonne in the Goſpell into the fire and water, then he fils them with fraud, falſhood, hypocriſie, and ſpirituall treaſon, as he put it into the heart of Judas to betray Chriſt: Vnconceavable is that mans miſery that is left of God to Satan, that is empty of God, and full of the Devill, he that is full of Satan firſt muſt looke to be full of Hell at laſt.
2. He that is without God, is full of the world, 2. Full of World.he minds earthly things, he bowes downe to theſe things, as Gideons thouſands to the waters, theſe command him, ſway over duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page him, leade him away captive, as the harlot in Salomon did the young man, he commits adultery with them, and as a man by meanes of a whoriſh woman is brought to a morſell of bread: ſo theſe by meanes of their fornication with this whoriſh woman the world, they become very beggars in grace, and get a blot and a ſtaine which cannot be wiped off; being without God he overprizeth the world; in the ſiege of Samaria Doves dung was ſold at a high price, becauſe they wanted bread; he that wants God, the bread, the ſtaffe, and ſtay of his ſoule, highly prizeth the dung and droſſe of the earth, and wanting God, the world with her cares, honours, pleaſures, cuſtomes, faſhions, and allurements overwhelmes him as the deluge did them that were without the Arke; miſerable is their ſlavery and ſervitude to the world, who have not God graciouſly poſſeſſing them, ſpiritually reigning and ruling within them.
3. Full of Sin.5. He that is without God is full of ſinne. The ſluggards field in Solomon being without a diligent husbandman to manure it, was full or thornes and nettles: He that hath not God the great husbandman of the ſoule to manure him, is overgrowne with the thornes, bryars and nettles of all ſorts of vices, full of all abominations, as Baals houſe was full of Idolaters, and the Phariſces Sepulchers full of rottenneſſe and dead mens bones; his luſts binde and chaine him as the fetters did Peter in Herods priſon; his underſtanding is full of blindneſſe,Exod. 10.23. as the Egyptians houſes were full of darkneſſe, he ſees nothing of God, of Chriſt, nor of his owne unhappy eſtate; his will is full of perverſeneſſe and frowardneſſe, no liberty, no inclination there to move God-ward, to intend God, his glory, or his ſoules welfare; he is led away captive by his luſts,Iſa. 20 4. Rev. 3.17. as the Egyptians by the Aſſyrians, naked and barefoot, poore, blinde, naked, miſerable and wretched; His thoughts are full of vanity, pride, baſeneſſe, covetouſneſſe, fraude, beaſtlineſſe, and what not, theſe trade and trafficke, and travell up and downe within him, as ſwine in a ſtithe, and make him a very dunghill, and loathſome habitation, as the buyers and ſellers made the Temple a den of theeves; his affections are full of all pollution, baſe feare, carnall confidence, worldly love, and fleſhly joy, his ſoule like the cup in the womans hand upon a skarlet coloured beaſt, Rev. 17. full of abominations and filthineſſe; and his wayes, works, and particular paſſages of his life, ſuperſcribed with names, titles, and characters of blaſphemy againſt God, Chriſt, Heaven, the Goſpell, and Chriſtian Religion; He that is without God and the Lord Jeſus is the moſt loathſome of all Creatures.
4. He that is without God, is full of curſes. 4 Full of curſesWhere God is not, the curſe goeth: mans very bleſſings are turned into curſes, his morall and temporall abilities, all his poſſeſſions, the wife in his boſome, the children in his houſe, the meat on his table, the apparell on his backe, is a ſnare to him.Pſal. 69.22. D…ut. 28.15, 16 Curſed is he in the City, and in the field, in his basket, and in his ſtore, in the fruit of his body, and in the fruit of his land, in the increaſe of his kine, and flocks of his ſheep, in his comming in, and in his going out: Yea the very word which he heareth, Sacrament which he receiveth, and Prayer which he maketh, becomes a curſe, the ſavour of death unto death, yea Chriſt himſelfe, the medium of all bleſſings to the ſoule,2 King. 4.40. becomes a ſtone of stumbling, and a rocks of defence. The Prophets pot before the meale was powred in, was a pot of death, the very whole of man without God, turnes to a curſe to man. O the folly of them that bleſſe themſelves in their havings, not having God with them, within them, regenerating, renewing, and purifying, and ſanctifying all unto them! Mans bleſſedneſſe conſiſts not in any havings, but in the having of God: to him that hath God for his God, the Lyon proves a hive of honey-combs, the greateſt croſſe a ſweet bleſſing, to him that hath not God, the choiſeſt Paradiſe becomes a wilderneſſe, the calmeſt river a tempeſtuous Sea, his greateſt proſperity, his heavieſt miſery.
5. He that is without God, is without all, 5. Empty of God, naked of all true good.the having of all things is as nothing, if we have not God with them; God is the fulneſſe of every thing, what is the having of a lamp without oyle, a bone without marrow, a veſſell without liquor, ſuch is the having of all things without God; he that with Senacherib hath Lordſhip over many Nations; he that with Abſolon hath all bodily beauty; he that with the rich man in the parable, hath more ſubſtance then his houſe can hold; he that with the falſe Prophets hath all the applauſe of the world, every mans tongue a trumpet to ſound his praiſes; he that with the man at the wedding feaſt hath all the Ordinances of God, yet if with all this he hath not God, he may ſay as Haman did in another caſe, all this availe me nothing. He that is without God, is a houſe without a foundation to uphold him, a beſieged City without a Captaine to reſcue him, a ſheep in the mouth or a Lyon without a Shepheard to deliver him, a chaſed Hart, his ſinnes like a thouſand arrowes ſticking in him, the venome of the infernall fiery ſerpent boyling and burning within him; his conſcience with a hideous cry purſuing him, and no water-brooke to refreſh him, and a condemned malefactor ready every moment to come to his heart-rending, ſoule-torturing, and never ending execution, without a King of mercies to pardon him: The loſſe of God is of all loſſes the greateſt, no darkeneſſe like the want of this Sun, no famine like the want of this bread, no ſtorme comparable to the want of this calme. O the bleſſedneſſe of the ſoule which enjoyes God! O the ſlavery, baſeneſſe, miſery of the ſoule which is without God! Saul in his diſtreſſe cryed out, the Philiſtines make warre againſt me, and God is departed from me. The carnall man will one day cry out, the Devils make warre againſt me, the fiends of Hell are come upon me, and God is departed from me: Had man the lively ſence and feeling of future woes, terrors, and perplexities, whereinto his being without God will caſt him, he would give himſelfe no reſt untill he had gotten the ſweet and ſure fruition of him. O therefore be as loth to live now without God enlightening, enlivening, ſanctifying, and poſſeſſing you, as you will be loath at laſt to periſh, without God pardoning, helping, ſaving, and delivering you.