saying, that all things fell out by chance. He that saith there is no God, is the wick- edest creature that is; he is worse than a thief, who doth but take away our goods from us, but the atheist would take away our God from us, John xx. 13., " They have taken away my Lord." So we may say of atheists, they would take away our God from us, in whom all our hope and comfort is laid up. Ps. xiv 1., " The fool hath said in his heart there is no God." He durst not speak it with his tongue, but said it in his heart ; he wished it. Sure none can be speculative atheists ! " The devils believe and tremble," James ii. 19. I have read of one Arthur, a professed atheist, who, when he came to die, cried out he was damned ; but though there are few found who say, " There is no God," yet many deny him in their practices. Tit. i. 16., " In works they deny liim." Cicero said of Epicurus, verbis reliquit, deos resustuUt. The world is full of pi'actical atlieism ; most people live as if thev did not believe there was a God. Durst they lie, defraud, be unclean, if they believed there were a God who would call them to an account? If an Indian, who never heard of a God should come among us, and have no other means to convince him of a Deity, but the lives of men in our age, surely he would be of Protagoras' mind, who did hang in a doubtful sus- pense, and did question whether there were a God, — utrum Dii shit, non ausim offir- mare !
Use 2. Seeing there is a God; he will deal righteously, and give just rewards to men. Things seem to be carried in the world very unequally; the wicked flourish, Ps. Ixxiii. ; they \\ho tempt God are dcli^"ercd, Mai. iii. 15., the ripe clusters of grapes are squeezed into their cup, and, in the mean while, the godly, who wept for sin and serv- ed God, are afflicted, Ps. cii. 9,, " I have eaten ashes like broad, and mingled my drink with weeping." Evil men enjoy all the good, and good men endure all the evil.
But seeing: there is a God, he will deal
• . ...»
righteously Avith men. Gen. xvni. 2.5.,
*' Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Offenders must come to punish- ment. The sinner's deathday and dooms- day is a coming; Ps. xxxvii. 13., " The
Lord seeth that his day is coming." Wliilc there is an hell, the wicked shall be scourg- ed enough; and while there is eternity, they shall lie there long enough ; and God will abundantly compensate the faithful ser- vice of his j)eople. They shall have their white robes and crowns: Ps. Iviii. II., " Verily there is a reward for the righteous ! Verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth !" Because God is God, therefore he will give forth glorious rewards to his people.
Use 3. Seeing there is a God, wo to all such as eng.nge this God against them ! He lives for ever to be avenged upon them, Ezek. xxii. 14., " Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee ?" Such as pol- lute God's sabbath, — oppose his saints, trampling these jewels in the dust, — such as Ha'c in a contradiction to God's word, — these do engage the Infinite Majesty of hea- ven against them ; and how dismal will their case be? Dent, xxxii. 41., "If I whet mv glittering sword, and mine hand take hold of judgment, I will render ven- geance to mine enemies ; I will make mine arrows drunk with blood," &c. If it ]ye so terrible to hear the lion roar, what is it when he begins to tear his prey? Ps. 1. 22., " Consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces !" O that men would think of this, who go on in sin ! Shall we engage the great God against us? God strikes slow but heavy; Job xl. 9., " Hast thou an arm like God ?" Canst thou strike such a blow? God is the best friend, but the worst enemy. If he can, look men into their grave, how far can he throw them? " Who knows the power of his wrath?" Ps. xc. 11. What fools are they, who, for a drop of pleasure, drink a sea of wrath ? Paracelsus speaks of a frenzy some have, which will make them die danc- ing : sinners go dancing to hell.
Use 1 . Seeing there is a God, let us firm ly believe this great article of our creed. What religion can there be in men, if they do not believe a Deity? " He that cometh to God, must believe that he is." To wor- ship God, and pray to him, and not believe there is a God, is to put a high scorn and contempt upon God Believe that God is
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GOD IS A SPIRIT.