Books For all that can be thought necessary to qualify them for writing these Books is First Sufficient knowledg of the things whereof they wrote and Secondly Honesty to write no other things than what they certainly knew 1. We cannot in any reason suspect them to have wanted sufficient knowledg because they had all opportunities of well informing themselves They write either of the Life and Deeds of JESUS CHRIST whereof they were Eye-witnesses or of his Doctrine and Preaching which they were Ear-witnesses of Or else of the Deeds and Sufferings of themselves and their Fellows whereof they were either Actors and Sufferers or Spectators That which they had seen and heard declared they unto us and that in writing as St. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. I. 1 2 3. They have delivered these things to us which from the beginning were eye-witnesses and Ministers of the word And it seem'd good unto them having had perfect understanding of all things from the beginning to write unto others that they also might know the certainty of these things as we gather from St. Luke chap. I. v. 2 3 4. Now that there was such a Person as JESUS CHRIST that he was born in the Reign of Augustus Caesar and was Crucified in the Regn of Tiberius Caesar being sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate and that he had such Disciples and Followers not only the Testimony of Christians but that of Iews and Heathens bitter Enemies to Christianity assures us And what should hinder these men to have sufficient knowledg of what they write 2. We have no less reason to believe they were honest men who had no design to deceive the World For First It is to be seen in their Writings by all who read them that they professed and taught Sincerity Truth Simplicity plain and upright Dealing condemning all Hypocrisie Lying and Guile as odious to GOD and damnable in men denouncing the heavy wrath and indignation of GOD against the Practicers of these Vices And as they taught so they lived and for this they durst appeal to all who knew them Ye are witnesses saith St. Paul and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you 1 Thess. II. 10. We have renounced saith he again the hidden things of dishonestry not walking in craftiness not handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every man's conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. IV. 2. Secondly For the truth of the chief matters of fact which they relate they were bold to appeal to the knowledg of great multitudes then living who might easily have disproved them had they told any falshood They told them of the wonderful Birth and Life of JESUS mentioning the very time of his Birth the place the manner his manifestation to the Shepherds to the Wise-men of the East his Persecution by Herod with all the remarkable Circumstances thereto belonging His Doctrine and Preaching his Miracles some whereof thousands at once tasted of his Death without Ierusalem notorious to all his Resurrection witnessed by his appearing to hundreds his visible Ascension into Heaven his sending the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost to the astonishment of many who heard the Apostles by him enabled to speak to every one in his own Language and many more things of this kind concerning some of which St. Paul was not afraid to tell Festus the Governour in the presence of King Agrippa The king knoweth of these things before whom also I speak freely for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him for this thing was not done in a corner Acts XXVI 26. How easie now had it been for the Iews to have proved these men Lyars had they been so And would they not have done it if they could Thirdly They were men but of a very mean Education most of them and of no leâ—â—ning and cannot reasonably be thought able to contrive and invent what they write of their own heads and when they had done to defend it so bravely as they did for real truth It must needs be supposed they were instructed well in their business and had a Teacher wiser and more powerful too than themselves or indeed as it will appear than all the World besides And this was well known to be JESUS CHRIST the Eternal Wisdom of GOD and his Holy Spirit of Truth which He according to his Promise sent upon them Acts II. to guide them into all truth Joh. XVI 13. 'T was He alone who could as he had promised give them a mouth and wisdom which all their adversaries were not able to gainsay or resist Luke XXI 15. Indeed it appears whatever their Education had been they were when they preached to the World and wrote men of good sense and understanding who could teach a Religion which now for above Sixteen hundred years hath prevail'd over the most learned part of Mankind who could dispute with the Learned Grecians Acts IX 29. And though the Scribes and Pharisees the most Learned Iews Though they of the Synagogue of the Libertines and Cyrenians and Alexandrians of Cicilia and Asia disputed with them Acts VI. 9. Tho the Philosophers of the Gentiles the Stoicks and Epicureans encounter'd them Acts XVII 18. yet were none of these able to resist the Wisdom and the Spirit whereby they spake Acts VI. 10. Fourthly Supposing them men of Wit enough for such a Contrivance yet can they not at the same time be thought such Fools too as to contrive such things without any rational motive or inducement to it surely they must have some great things to propound unto themselves as the end for which they did this They well foresaw that what they did would expose them to all the Evils of this World And therefore when they first undertook it they voluntarily left all they had in this World to follow CHRIST They were taught by him to deny themselves and to take up the cross Matth. XVI 24. And told that they must be sent as Sheep in the midst of Wolves be deliver'd up to Councils and scourg'd in the Synagogues and hated of all men for his name's sake Matth. X. 16 17 22. That in this world they should have tribulation John XVI 33. and be persecuted Joh. XV. 20. Put out of the Synagogues and killed Joh. XVI 2. All this they knew and expected They went forth to preach a Doctrine which by the Wise-men of the World would be accounted foolishness 1 Cor. I. 23. And look'd on themselves as men set forth of God as it were appointed to death and made a spectacle to the world 1 Cor. IV. 9. They hungred and thirsted were naked and had no certain dwelling-place Being reviled they blessed being persecuted they suffer'd it being defamed they intreated they were made the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. IV. 11. 2 Cor. IV. 8. They constantly and stoutly indured all that befell them rejoycing
to have Might not any one challenge as much Right to every thing that lay within his reach as any other whatsoever And would not every one catch that could yea and kill too or do any thing else he could that he might catch If it be true that there is no GOD to whom all are bound to submit what Law can any one think himself bound to obey but his own Will And would not every one be as free as he could make himself and strive to have his own will rather than to be subject to another's Would not every one endeavour to make himself Master of as much and as many as he could And would not this striving for the Mastery and scrambling who should get most bring all things to confusion Could any thing but mere force and violence bring or keep men under Government And would men any longer bear so uneasie a yoke whenever they could find out any way to break or shake it off All the world thus would be turn'd into a Field of War and Blood and no man could think himself safe from his Neighbour He that is strongest or could make his Party the strongest for a time could not promise himself that he should long continue so and not be undermined by the wiles of the weaker or by the treacheries or revolts of his own men And they who are weakest must be sure whilst they are so to endure the insolencies and lye at the mercy of the stronger No man could call either his goods or his life his own seeing there could be nothing to hinder any one that had strength and malice enough from invading them or endeavouring to advance himself upon the ruins of any one whom he found standing in his way to what he covets All men may plainly see That Religion were it generally practised throughout the world would soon make it happy and that the good order that is in the world is wholly owing to the sense men have of a GOD and that therefore there is so little good order in the world at this day because there is so little sincere Religion or true sense of GOD in it And if there were no sense of GOD in it there would be no good order at all Tho it were true then That there is no GOD I dare say the whole world would soon begin to wish it false yea and rather than all men should think there is none the Atheist himself would wish it false too All men would quickly find reason enough to curse the man that first discovered so mischievous a Truth But now seeing no man can possibly be assured That it is true what a Fool is he that persuades himself it is to no other end but that he may be more free to do mischief and by doing so teach others to do the like thus putting himself and the rest of mankind into a posture of War and into the most deplorable condition imaginable I mean into that of enjoying no quiet or safety in this world no comfort or satisfaction in going out of it and the danger of suffering more intolerable evils than any one can now conceive whenever death shall call him hence III. The third Argument to prove him a fool who is confident there is no GOD is this He is Confident where all the Reason in the World is against his Confidence And to make this good I lay this down as a certain principle It is a sufficient reason to believe that a thing is when it 's being is discovered unto us all those ways whereby we can conceive that such a thing can be discovered unto us if indeed it be and may be known If then GOD hath made himself known unto us all those ways whereby we can conceive he can be made known if he be we have all the Reason in the World to believe him to be and so all the Reason in the World is against his Confidence that denies GOD to be He is a fool that desires or calls for more than this for that is all one as if he should say I will not believe that there is a GOD 'till he be made known to me more ways than hâ— can be made known to me though there be one Now let any one say what Evidence he would have to convince him that there is a GOD and I will shew him that he hath it unless he would have such Evidence as cannot be given tho' there be a GOD. All things cannot be discover'd by every kind of Evidence tho' they really are and may be known A Voice or Sound cannot be known by Seeing yet we are sure it is because we hear it A Colour cannot be known by Hearing but we are sure it is because we see it Sweet and Bitter cannot be known by seeing or hearing yet we know them by Tasting He 's a Fool then that will not believe any of these to be unless he have such an evidence of it as cannot be given whilst he hath that which can or Who will not believe there is a Colour because he cannot hear or smell it whilst he Sees it or thinks there is no Voice because he cannot see touch or tast it tho' he Hears it And so of the rest What evidence then would a Man have to assure him that there is a GOD GOD is by Nature a Spirit Joh. 4. 24. and so Invisible 1 Tim. 1. 17. whom no man hath seen nor can see vid. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Ioh. 1. 18. 1 Ioh. 4. 12. He 's a fool then that will not believe that there is a GOD unless he see him And as much a Fool is he that will not believe him to be unless he can hear him speak or feel him For GOD being a pure Spirit without a Body or bodily qualities hath neither a Voice such as bodily things have whereby he may be heard with our Ears nor other quality whereby he may be felt with our Hands any more than he hath Colour or Shape to be seen with our Eyes We must if we will be reasonable be satisfied with such Evidences of an Invisible Spirit as an Invisible Spirit can give us of its self And such evidences of himself GOD hath given unto us and by all such ways as we can think on has revealed himself unto us as one of infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness our Maker Preserver and Governor And how can we conceive that He who is in himself Invisible should make this manifest unto us but by some or all of these ways I. By some such audible and visible significations and tokens of his Being and Will as we are capable of understanding II. By imprinting a sense of himself in our minds making us not only capable of perceiving but inclined to acknowledg him III. By doing such works as are the visible effects of such a Being Power Wisdom and Goodness If there be a GOD some of these ways he may and otherwise we cannot conceive how he should
be known unto men And therefore if he have all these ways manifested himself unto us he is a Fool that doth not own him I. It must be granted very reasonable to expect That if there be a GOD who is our LORD and GOVERNOR he should give us such significations and tokens of his Being and Will as we may know him and how to behave our selves towards him And if it be such an evidence of him that the Atheist would have for his satisfaction I say he hath it in that which we call GOD's WORD in the Holy SCRIPTURE If he say He would believe there is a GOD because of his WORD if he were sure that it is GOD's Word I ask What he means by saying so Is it this That he would believe there is a GOD because of his Word were he first sure that there is a GOD whose Word it may be This is all one as to say That what he calls for as an evidence of a GOD can be no evidence for he cannot be persuaded 't is his Word till he be first sure that He is This is to play the Fool downright He will not believe there is a GOD till GOD hath revealed himself by his Word GOD reveals himself by his Word and he will not believe it to be his Word because he is not sure there is a GOD. If he say he means no more but this That what you shew him for the Word of GOD is not such as may be thought worthy of GOD or has not enough in it to convince one that it is not a Forgery of man If this be his meaning then I ask him What is wanting to it to make it appear worthy of GOD and not to be a Forgery of man If he cannot shew this and yet excepts against it he 's a Fool for either that evidence wherein no defect can be discover'd must be a sufficient evidence or there can be no such thing as a sufficient evidence in the world Well then We say GOD hath revealed Himself and his Will by clear significations of both in his Word And this Word we have now written in a Book which we call the Bible and the Scripture If this Scripture or Writing be true then is it the Word of GOD for so much it affirmeth of it self The Truth of it therefore is the only thing we are to inquire into And to make this Enquiry as short as may be let it be considered That this Book is made up of divers smaller Books whereof some are called The Books of the Old Testament others of them The Books of the New one And we need do no more but inquire into the Truth of the latter of these at present for if what is written in these be true then is that so too which is written in the former For these bear witness to the Truth of those Our Saviour in the New Testament approves of the Law of Moses and of the Prophets and of the Psalms which make up the Old Testament Luke 24. 44. And of the same St. Paul saith All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. And St. Peter That the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost â— Pet. 1. 12. And the Apostle to the Hebrews saith That God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unâ—o the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Heb. 1. 1 2. If then the Writings of the New Testament be true the Books of the Old Testament contain the Word of GOD. And to satisfie our selves that they are true we need but to understand Three Things 1. That there were such men as are said to have written these Books and that these are their Writings 2. That they were sufficiently qualified for writing these Books 3. That what they have written hath all the Characters of Divine Truth 1. There were once such men as are said to have written these Books and these Books were written by them If any one doubts whether there were once such men as St Matthew Mark Luke Iohn Paul Peter Iames and Iude or that the Books which bear their Names were written by them how would he have it proved These men died about Sixteen hundred Years ago and therefore he will not surely be so unreasonable as to say Shew me the Men or I will not believe that ever they were But look what reason he hath to believe any thing that was before he was was born and now he seeth not the same he hath to believe that these men once were and that they wrote these Books Histories make express mention of them one Generation to another from their time to this hath preserved their Memory and the Books we have are their lasting Monuments We have the Testimony of all Christians of all Ages since their time who have own'd these Books as theirs who have commented on them and written in defence of the Doctrine contained in them recorded their Travels and the Churches which they planted And these Witnesses are no inconsiderable Persons but the most learned of their times and such as made the most diligent search into the truth and were so well satisfied as to shed their blood in vindication of it and ventured their Salvation upon it Neither is this all but we have the testimony of their Enemies of those who persecuted them unto death and wrote against the Truth which they deliver'd Now what can any one desire more than this to satisfy him That there were such men and that they wrote these Books We have the Books in our hands and all sorts of Historians Friends and Enemies making mention of them and all Christian Churches being the best most learned and most civilized part of the World acknowledging receiving and even unto death maintaining them Have we not the faith to believe that there were once such men as Cyrus Darius Alexander or Iulius Caesar Do not we believe that Cicero Demosthenes Homer and Virgil once were and that we have their Books Believe we not that we have had Kings of this Realm in former days and that we have now Laws which they enacted Nor yet that we had Grandfathers and Great-Grandfathers and Inheritances derived from them And what better Reasons can we have to believe any of these things than such as we have to believe that these men were and wrote these Books Truly he that will not believe that once a thing was when all the evidence of its having been is given him which can be given of any thing past must needs be a very unreasonable Fool and not to be discours'd withal but laugh'd at For at this rate nothing that ever was and is not now can be believed without better evidence of it than can be given if it was which is impossible 2. These men were sufficiently qualified for writing these
Arguments we use to that end and the rest are convincive enough without it So that should this Argument fail us yet our whole Argument whereby we would from our having the Word of GOD prove that there is a GOD stands good But nether doth our argument fail us but proves what we would prove by it For thirdly We say not that the Christian Doctrine is receiv'd by all men or by most men or by more than they who are of other Religions All we say is this It was in a very short time received in most parts of the then known World though for the sins of them who profess'd it GOD hath suffer'd it in many places to be rooted out again Nor doth this lessen its Credit but rather confirms its truth For this is the same which it self foretold and shews the care that GOD takes of it who as he will not suffer it to be quite lost so neither will he always afford it them who abuse it Thus was it foretold to the Church of Ephesus Rev. II. 5. I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of its place except thou repent And thus it happen'd to that and other Churches Accordingly as our Blessed JESUS had told the Iews Matth. XXI 43. The Kingdom of GOD shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruit thereof Though therefore Heathenism or Mahometism fill more of the World than Christianity yet hath the Christian Doctrine had the success which we speak of Fourthly Though at this day it prevails not over most of the World yet it flourisheth in the most Civilized and Learned parts of it Whereas Idolatry and Mahometism prevail only among the more rude illiterate barbarous and brutish sort of People Beside this Fifthly it hath had the success we speak of by fair rational and indearing Methods by gentle Persuasions and convincing Reasons by its own visible purity and goodness by the power of Miracles without any use of force or violence But other Religions prevail only upon the account of Education and Custom and an Affectation of treading in the steps of Forefathers or else by Violence and Compulsion Fire and Sword Again Sixthly Other Religions are upheld by keeping men in ignorance and depriving them of the means of knowledge And it is no wonder that the greatest part of the World is still in error when the light of truth is shut out from it They can chuse no better who are suffer'd to know no better But the Christian Religion seeks not for the advantage of mens blindness and being in the dark 'T was sent To open mens eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto GOD Acts XXVI 18. It chargeth all it meets with to Prove all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thess. V. 21. If it prevail among men 't is by reason and light and knowledge Men chuse other Religions as blind-men do beauties by chance And so the most deformed is all one with the most handsome But Christians chuse by sight and judgment Lastly Other Religions do favour and flatter men's Corruptions and humor flesh and blood But the Christian Religion proclaims open war against these crosseth mens corrupt Inclinations contradicts their natural Humors commands them to deny themselves and their own Wills mortifies their darling Lusts crucifies the Flesh destroys Selfishness commen is patience lays the Cross in their way and injoins them to bear it in hope of things not yet seen and far off That other Religions prevail what wonder is it Neither can it be any argument that they are of GOD. Men can easily invent and are ready to embrace and will be very fond of and not easily change a Religion that indulgeth their Lusts. But that Christianity commanding men to offer violence to themselves and to part freely with what they love best should be receiv'd by any considerable number of men is very wonderful indeed and shews it to be of GOD. The power of Lust and Corruption is enough to make men embrace other Religions but the Power of GOD only and of supernatural Grace could prevail with men to accept of this I have now done with the first Argument to prove it reasonable to believe that there is a GOD and have shewn that if the Atheist would have GOD shew himself to be by some such visible and audible significations and tokens of his being as we are capable of perceiving him by he has all the reason that can be to believe that he hath done so And I have insisted the longer upon this Point that in shewing the folly of the Atheist I might at once shew the folly of the Antiscripturist and that he is as well a Fooâ— who denies the Scripture to be the Word of GOD as he that says There is no GOD. II. If this kind of manifestation of himself which GOD hath given us in his Word will not suffice how else would the Atheist have him to manifest himself for his satisfaction Will he be satisfied if it be shew'd him That GOD hath imprinted such a sense of his being in mens minds that they are not only capable of perceiving but generally inclined to acknowledge this truth I am now to shew him that GOD hath done this and that Mankind hath generally been very sensible that there is a GOD. Indeed we have the Testimony of Anâ—els and Men to aâ—â—ure us of this and one would think this should be enough for when every thing that hath reason bears witness of a thing he that yet disbelieves it must confess that he doth so against all the Reason in the World and he that contradicts all Reason must needs be a Fool. As for the Testimony of Angels 't is in vain to trouble the Atheist with it for Angels are invisible Spirits and for the same reason that he denies there is a GOD he will also deny that there are any invisible Spirits seeing these can no otherwise appear or manifest themselves unto men than we have already shew'd that GOD hath done â—ho therefore it be as evident as it can be made that there are such Spirits both good and bad and that they have frequently born witness of GOD yet seeing it is but the same kind of Evidence with what we have spoken of already I shall not at all insist upon it now but only on that which we have from the general consent of Mankind Now this Testimony of men for the being of a GOD is not to be slightly regarded it having all the Advantage that Humane Testimony can have It is not the Testimony of some few men but of Mankind generally It is not the witness of all men in some one or two Ages of the World or of some whole Nations only but of all Nations and of all Aâ—es and Generations since there have been any men whom we could hear of in the World Must it not be a very foolish
desire nothing more than to hear him prove what he says yea they would reward him at any rate for his pains It 's a very easie thing to persuade men unto what they love and a weak argument is strong enough to make men believe what they would fain believe Why then is the wicked man's good friend the Atheist so sparing of his Reasons when he may so fairly hope to convince men by them The truth is by all this it plainly appears both that they are very strong Reasons that prevail with men against their own corrupt inclinations to believe a GOD and that the Atheist has no Reason at all on his side seeing he is not able to convince men who fain would have it so That there is no GOD. Fourthly What end had this Imaginary man which the Atheist talks of in putting this Opinion of a GOD into mens heads It was saith he to make men more tame and to bring them under Government and Laws And 't is very true that men may easily be made sensible that without Government and Laws we should all be like so many wild beasts of prey tearing and devouring one another and that nothing can make men more governable than the belief of a GOD. But after all this what does that which the Atheist saith amount to This we will readily grant him 1. That considering the general wickedness of mankind Government and severe Laws are very necessary things 2. That the belief of a GOD is that which above all other things will soonest bring men to submit to Government 3. That if the belief of a GOD were an invention of man it were a very proper invention for the making men more governable But now the thing which we would hear proved is That the belief of a GOD is but an invention of man for that end Government indeed will never be upheld in the world without this belief and therefore this belief is necessary to uphold Government But will it now follow from hence That this belief is only a device of man to uphold Government No certainly but this follows which the Atheist has no mind to hear of That he who thinks there is no GOD is an Enemy to Government and ought not to have the Protection of Government nor to enjoy the Privileges of a Subject but ought to be banish'd from all Societies of men as the greatest enemy to them in the world And now seeing it is granted by the Atheist That this belief is so necessary for the maintaining of Civil Government in the world I will be bold hence to infer a Conclusion quite contrary to his viz. That it is the more likely for that to be true and to come from GOD and not to be an invention of man And the reasonableness of this Inference will thus appear 1. Government and Laws are on purpose to tie men up to live by Rule to restrain them within the bounds of Iustice and Sobriety to keep them from taking the liberty they would otherwise take and from having their own wills in every thing that they may have a longing mind unto Now that which could persuade men to be thus tied up and restrain'd must needs appear to them very reasonable in it self otherwise they would never be brought to thrust their Necks into a Yoke for the sake of something which they saw not before-hand good reason to believe If the Atheist say That though they saw no reason before-hand to believe that there is a GOD yet the benefit of good Government and the desire of safety which they could not have without Government was enough to make them content whether they believed it or no that it should pass for a truth In saying this he confutes himself for if the desire of safety not to be had without Government was it that persuaded them to admit this opinion of a GOD true or false and merely for the sake of Government because without it they could not be safe Then did their own safety sufficiently convince them of the necessity of Government and was enough to persuade them to admit of it without the belief of a GOD. And so the Atheist's Politician was only a Politick Would-be and would seem wise in inventing a thing there was no need of for 't is plain that the belief of a GOD was not necessary in order to Government if the desire of safety was enough to persuade men to it But this very pretence of the Atheist That the Opinion of a GOD was set on foot to uphold Government is a confession that all other motives to subjection without this belief are insufficient and seeing this belief is the principal motive to admit of Government men must needs before-hand see good reason for it for otherwise it could be no motive at all 2. If the belief of a GOD be the principal thing that holds men in subjection to Civil Government and within the bounds of Iustice and Sobriety then if it be not a true belief it must be granted That a Lie is the very foundation of all Vertue and Goodness Peace and Order Iustice and Honesty Fidelity and Safety among men and it is for the great good of the whole World and so the duty of all men to believe a Lie And that there is nothing so wicked because nothing can be so dangerous mischievous and pernicious to Mankind as to believe the Truth It is a truth saith the Atheist that there is no GOD. Then is truth and the belief of it the fountain of all evil and mischief disorder and confusion 'T is a Lie saith he again to say there is a GOD. Then a Lie and the belief of it is the fountain of all Goodness and Vertue and of all the happiness too in the World Can any one but a Fool believe this And yet he must believe it that believes the Atheist saying That the belief of a GOD is only an invention of man to keep the World in good order This is enough to be said of our Second Argument to demonstrate the Atheist's folly taken from the general Consent of Mankind And surely he can hardly be thought a Wise-man himself who ventures to call that man wise whom the whole World as we have seen calls a Fool. III. I come to the Third Argument grounded on the Works of GOD And this I may call the Testimony of the whole Creation of all things animate and inanimate If there are such Works as are the visible Effects of an Eternal Being of Infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness there must needs be a GOD and he must be a Fool that saith there is none And here again we have a far more likely cause of the Universal Consent of Mankind in this belief than that which the Atheist imagined as possible only By the Effect the Cause is known If we see things made we know they had a Maker Men generally have seen such things in the World as they could not conceive to be the
without a GOD than they dâ— in believing that there is a GOD. He hath sometimes one thing to say and sometimes another as his Invention serves him Sometimes the World may have been Eternally without any Beginning and sometimes there may have been Eternal Matter which form'd it self he knows not how into that variety of things which we now see Sometimes there may have been eternally an infinite multitude of small Atomes or Motes dancing to and fro till at last they hit and jumble by chance into so many Bodies as the World now contains And with such like Imaginations as these he labours to confound men's Thoughts and to divert them from listning to that rational and satisfactory account which the Holy Scripture hath given us of the Original of all things But as these Atheistical Wits have never been able to satisfie one another so as that they could come to agree in the same Principles but have been at an irreconcileable difference and an endless dispute amongst themselves not so much about what certainly was as about what possibly might have been So neither have any of them been able to convince any considerable numbers of men no not of those who know nothing of the Scripture to think that the World could have been any of those ways they dream of without a GOD. And why so But because men have ever thought it more difficult to be of any of their opinions than to believe that there is a GOD. If the Atheist could but perswade men that he had reason on his side it would be very easie for him to draw them all over to his opinion for their lusts are all on his side already But till Lust have so totally prevail'd over men as quite to unman them and put out the eye of Reason the Atheist's folly is so visible that the â—alfblind eye of the natural man cannot but see it It 's very hard saith the Atheist for a man to comprehend in his mind an eternâ—l infinite Being such as GOD is said to be and how should a man believe what he cannot comprehend by his Understanding And indeed most true it is that what is eternal and infinite no humane Understanding can fully and perfectly comprehend To understand a thing fully and perfectly in all things belonging to it is to suppose it to have certain Bounds or Limits of essence and perfection which if it had it were not Eternal and Infinite And true it is That GOD is a Being of an unlimited and boundless Nature and Excellency and therefore cannot be fully or in all things understood by man But this is so far from making it uneasy to believe that there is a GOD that we cannot when we consider things well but believe it We therefore believe that there is a GOD because when we consider how many things there be in the World and how many and even unsearchable by us are the excellencies and perfections of every thing in its kind we cannot fee how these things could be without a Being incomprehensible and infinitely excellent and perfect whence all Being and Perfection must be derived Tho' therefore man who is of a finite and limited Understanding cannot fully comprehend the Eternity and Infiniteness of GOD or throughly understand the infinite Nature and Perfection of GOD yet may he understand and believe that there is a Being which is eternal and infinite that is to say a GOD. And it is so easy to conceive that there is such a Being that it is not possible to conceive how there should be none such We are very sure that we our selves and other things have a being and yet we cannot fully comprehend or throughly understand the excellencies and perfections of our own Nature or of the nature of any thing else how small and inconsiderable soever it be It cannot therefore be hard for us to believe that there is something incomprehensible by us or which we cannot throughly in all things understand And so easie is it for us to apprehend that there is some eternal Being that we cannot conceive how there could be any thing at all without it We cannot with any satisfaction to our selves suppose that once there was nothing at all For were it so that once there had been nothing at all it must needs follow That there never could have been any thing at all If there once was nothing whence should any thing have come There was in nothing no power nor disposition to any thing Nothing of which any thing should spring Nothing to make or give a being to any thing Nothing is nothing and nothing can do nothing But now there are many things Had they a beginning or had they none If they had no beginning we have found many Eternal Beings whilst we think it hard to believe there should be one If they had a beginning then as hath been said they had it of themselves or from some other They had it not of themselves for before they began to be they were not and what is not can do nothing They must have it therefore from some other and that other must be before them and must be Eternal without beginning The Sum of all that hath been said is this The Atheist being confident that there is no GOD is confident in a matter whereof he can have no reason to be confident and whereof he cannot pretend to have the least measure of Assurance He is confident without any reason or degree of Assurance where his confidence is the most dangerous thing that can be to himself and the most mischievous thing that can be to the whole World He chooseth to follow a groundless Opinion wherein there is no safety to himself and whence there can arise no good but very much hurt to the World rather than a probable Opinion at least which it is certainly safe for him to follow and which can do no hurt but much good to all Mankind In denying that there is a GOD he must grant that all the happiness of the World depends upon a Lie and that the World would be undone by the knowledg of the Truth He is confident where all the reason of the World is against his confidence He is confident there is no GOD tho he have all the evidences of a GOD that can be given of him if there be one GOD hath spoken unto men so as GOD can be supposed to speak unto them if hâ— be GOD hath appear'd and shew'd himself to men so as if there be a GOD any one can conceive that he should shew himself The Atheist finds the whole World of Mankind consenting that there is a GOD and he finds the tokens of Infinite Power and Wisdom and Goodness in all the works of Creation and Providence both common and extraordinary He cannot give any rational account at all of any of these things without the belief of a GOD and finally he finds no such difficulties in believing there is a GOD but he
finds many more and greater in conceiving how things should be as they are without a GOD. Seeing as hath been shewn this is plainly the case let all men of common sense now judge whether he who makes himself confident that there is no GOD be not past all dispute a very Fool. But now in vain have we all this while been considering the Atheists Folly if we our selves resolve to be as much or greater Fools than he And certainly if it be as it hath been proved a very foolish thing to think that there is no GOD it cannot be less foolish to live without any regard of GOD as too many amongst us seem to do who behave themselves so in the World as if GOD had nothing to do with them or they with him or as tho it were all one to them whether there be a GOD or no. If there be a GOD and if none but Fools deny this then are we to consider that these things do necessarily follow 1. Every one that is wise doth take all possible care to confirm himself in so stedfast a belief of GOD that nothing may be able to make him doubt of it Take heed therefore Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living GOD Heb. III. 12. The fear of the LORD that is Wisdom Job XXVIII 28. If there be a GOD it must needs be the greatest piece of Wisdom that man is capable of to behave himself Religiously towards GOD but this he can never do without firmly believing that there is a GOD this belief being the first and fundamental point in Religion He that cometh to GOD must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. XI 6. Therefore In the first place let no one think himself excusable if he be not throughly convinced that there is a GOD. For no man living that hath the right use of Reason can be ignorant of this and be held Guiltless GOD hath so many ways manifested himself unto us that the blindest Heathen cannot say that he hath not had means enough of knowing that He is And if a Heathen can have no excuse for his being ignorant of this who hath but at most one half of the means of Knowledg which every the most unlearned Christian hath how should any ignorant Christian be excused Tho it be therefore too common a thing to hear both Men and Women among us who both are of considerable Age and also Understanding and wise enough for the business of their worldly Callings excusing their ignorance of GOD by their want of Learning yet in truth they can have no excuse at all for this ignorance It is their negligence and sloth and unwillingness to learn that keeps them ignorant and for these there can be no excuse Can any one live in a Christian Church and not have heard enough if he would have minded it tho he cannot read to convince him That there is a GOD whom he is bound to serve Nay can any one live in the World and not see enough every where to teach him this first and fundamental Truth He that cannot read GOD's word may yet if he live in a Christian Church hear it and GOD himself speaking to him in it And he that lives abroad in the World tho he cannot see GOD himself yet he may every where see his Works and in them all the Being the Power the Wisdom and the Goodness of GOD. Nay if he can but eat and drink he may know there is a GOD that feeds him for he knows very well that it is not in his own power nor of any other creature to provide his food for him or to enable him to receive good by his food Yet more No man how unlearned so ever he be can think seriously of himself and consider what he is or how he lives but he may easily discover a GOD that made him to be what he is and preserves him in being and life How inexcusable then must every one be for not learning that which every thing teacheth him and which he cannot but learn when he doth but consider that he himself is something In the next place Let none of us think it a needless thing very often and seriously to consider that there is a GOD. If we do not much consider it it will be but a vain thing for us to know it We should so lose the benefit of GOD's manifesting himself so fully and so variously to us Consideration must make our knowledg useful to us If there be a GOD it is certain that we depend wholly upon him and must needs owe a duty to him Yet tho we may know there is a GOD if we keep it not in mind and think but little of it our Knowledg can have little influence on our life and behaviour but we shall demean our selves as carelesly and be every whit as secure and unconcern'd how we live as tho we had never heard or thought of any such thing as a GOD. Yea not to consider and have this much in our thoughts seems to be more inexcusable in us than not to know it at all As he who knows his LORD's Will and doth it not deserves to be beaten with more stripes than he that doth not his Will merely because he knows it not Luke XII 47. So he that considereth not much that there is a GOD when he knows it seems more blame-worthy than he who doth not know it and therefore cannot consider it Both are faulty and can have nothing at all to plead for themselves but he that knows and considers not seems to be more faulty and a great deal more may be pleaded against him The one is ignorant of GOD when he might know him the other sets light by GOD when he knows him The one not knowing GOD knows not how much he deserves his Thoughts the other tho he knows him yet carries himself so towards him as if he thought him not worthy to be thought upon He likes not to retain GOD in his knowledg as 't is said of some Rom. I. 28. As then if there be a GOD 't is altogether necessary that we should know and believe it that so we understand how much it concerns us not to live as we list having one over us to whom we must be accountable even for every idle word Mat. XII 36. So when we know this 't is altogether as necessary we should much consider and think of it that we may walk worthy of GOD unto all pleasing Col. I. 10. and not wilfully or giddily run upon our own destruction by disregarding him It will be a very terrible thing to the ignorant person at the last day to meet with a GOD of whom he never knew and then to reflect thus upon himself Had I been any thing but a Fool I might have known this GOD to my eternal Comfort whom now I find to my
everlasting Confusion And it will be more terrible at that day for the unconsidering person to find a GOD armed with vengeance against all that contemn'd him And then to reflect on his own folly saying What a Mad-man was I who knew there was a GOD and did not think him worth a few serious Thoughts when by little serious consideration I might have prevented this confounding sight and my own eternal destruction now come upon me through my heedlesness As we therefore desire that we may never feel the wrath of GOD let us now entertain often and serious thoughts of him To this purpose lastly Let us be very constant in the use of all the means which GOD hath given us to confirm and establish us in this belief and lively sense of GOD and take heed as we love our Souls how we give ear to any thing which may weaken this belief or make us doubt of the being of a GOD. We have all the reason in the World to be very careful of this Because as we have seen If it be a truth that there is a GOD nothing can be more necessary either to prevent our Misery or to promote our Happiness than a firm belief of it and tho it were false as it cannot be yet would it do a great deal of good and no hurt at all Let us labour then to be well grounded and setled in this belief and to this end let us well weigh and consider all those many reasons which we have above taken notice of to perswade us to it Especially let us diligently attend to GOD's word and observe his works The reason why many men either so weakly believe that there is a GOD or so little and slightly think of it is because either their Lusts or their worldly Business or else Vanities hold their thoughts so continually imploy'd about them that they will not allow themselves time nor be at the pains to consider those notable evidences which GOD hath given of himself He that shuts his Eyes and stops his Ears when he should read or hear GOD speaking to him or when he should observe the wonderful works of Creation and Providence it is not strange if he never come to have a rational and firm belief of GOD. Therefore if we would as it highly concerns us be unmovably rooted in this Belief we must observe these Rules 1. Let us be sure to keep our Reason and Understanding which GOD has given us as we are Men constantly awake Let the Eye of the Soul be kept open that it may be ready to see GOD whensoever and howsoever he shews himself What 's the most rational Discourse to a sleeping man He neither hears it nor considers it and therefore is he no wiser for it What 's Light and Beauty to a man that always winks He sees them not and so knows no more of them than it they were not to be seen This Truth That there is a GOD is as visible to the Understanding as Colours are to the Eye but neither are visible to one that is not awake Let us consider that the best things must certainly be the best worth our seeing and knowing and nothing can be better than GOD who is the Fountain of all Goodness Nothing is so carefully to be regarded as that without the knowledg whereof we eternally perish and such is GOD. Hath man Understanding and Reason for no use Or is he to use them about every thing of least concernment and not about that which above all things in the World he is mostly concern'd to Understand If there be a GOD we must all of us be either Happy or Miserable for ever accordingly as we Regard and Honour him or Neglect and Dishonour him And can there be any thing the Knowledg whereof doth more concern us And yet is it thus with too many of us that whilst our Understanding and Reason are very intent upon other things and never grow weary of considering them and inquiring after them they are wholly asleep as to GOD and never imploy'd about him as if to think of Him were not any part of our business O why should we be any longer such Fools as to suffer the Business and Vanities of this World which passeth away and the lusts thereof or the Pleasures of sin which are but for a moment so to bewitch us that we can never be awake to GOD Seeing that about Him we are most of all concern'd that our Souls attain to the most rational and full satisfaction let our Reason be busied about him above all things that so we may be able both to live and die like men 2. Let us exercise our Reason in considering those things especially which are most proper and apt to beget in us the most clear and lively sense of GOD. For as GOD hath appointed proper means and helps for the attaining to all those ends which he would have us to pursue So hath it pleased him to ordain certain means by the use whereof we may soonest and most perfectly come to the knowledg and belief of Himself Such are his Word and his Works both of Creation and Providence which are therefore to be very diligently studied and meditated upon We must very frequently read and hear his Word and when we read or hear it we must be very attentive to it and take heed how we do it in a regardless and formal manner or as a customary Task only which we have set our selves to do as tho the reading or the hearing of it were our only or principal Business Our work is to think and consider well of all that we read and hear that we may be perfectly inform'd and throughly convinced and heartily affected with the matters which are therein commended either to our Belief or Practice In vain shall we either read or hear GOD's word if we do not labour to see and hear GOD himself speaking to us and discovering Himself and his Will unto us therein To read in the Bible so many Chapters a Day or to hear so many Sermons a Week is an Employment to as little purpose as the reading or hearing any common History if we make it not our end to come better acquainted with GOD and to be instructed in our Duty of Honouring and Serving him And thus is it also in our seeing and observing and making use of the many and wonderful works of GOD Whilst we endeavour only to serve our selves of them and not to discern GOD in them we improve nothing in our Knowledg of GOD by them How many of us busie our selves daily abroad in the Field or at Home in the Garden and what wonders of GOD's Power and Wisdom and Goodness have we there constantly before our Eyes and yet we profit no more in the knowledg of GOD by what we see than the Beasts themselves How many of us are very busie in studying and observing the courses of the Stars and in searching in the secrets of