4. From several experiences. The power of the word : 1 Cor. xiv. 2.5, ' Thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.' There is some God guideth these men. There are devils, and they would undo all were they not bound up Avith the chains and restraints of an irresistible providence. God sulfereth them now and then to discover their malice, that we may see by whose goodness we do subsist. So there are virtues, which must be by some institution, or by comformity to a supreme being, or a sense of his law. They cannot be out of any eternal reason, which is in the things themselves, nor by the appointment of man's will ; for then everything which maa willeth would be good. Many arguments might be brought to this purpose, but I am shortly to handle this argument elsewhere.
By way of use.
1. Let us charge it upon our hearts, that we may check those private whispers and suspicions which are there against the being and glory of God. Many times we are apt to think that God is but a fancy.
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relio;ion a state curb, and the gospel but a quaint device to please fond and foolish men ; and all is but talk to hold men in awe. Oh ! consider, in such truths as these we do not appeal to scripture, but nature. You will never be able to recover your consciences out of this dread. The devils are under the fear of a deity : James ii. 19, ' Thou believest that there is one God, thou doest well ; the devils also believe and tremble.' The devil can never be a flat atheist, because of the fear of the wrath of God tormenting him ; he is not an atheist, because he cannot be one, it cannot stand with the state of a damned angel ; tliere may be atheists in the church, but there are none in hell. Humble thyself for such atheistical thoughts and suggestions. It is a sin irrational ; all the creatures confute it : Ps. Ixxiii. 22, ' So foolish was I and ignorant, I was as a beast before thee ; ' when he had an ill thought of providence, v When you go about to ungod God, you unman yourselves. Common sense and reason would teach you other- wise. Thoughts and desires that strike at the being of God are thoughts of a dangerous importance. Oh ! what a foul heart have I, that casteth up such mire and dirt ! Wrath came upon the Jews to the uttermost for killing Christ in his human nature ; but these are thoughts that strike at God, and Christ, and all together.
2. It reproveth those that wish down, or live down this principle. Some wish it down : Ps. xiv. 1, ' The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.' It is his desire rather than his thoughts. It is a pleasant thing for them to imagine that there is none to call them to an account. Guilty men would fain destroy the righteous God, which is an argument of the worst hatred. Some live it down : Titus i. 16, * In works they deny him.' It is the real language of their lives that there is no God. There is no greater temptation to atheism than the life of a scandalous professor. One surprised a christian in an act of lilthiness, and cried out, Ghristiane ! Christ lane I uhi JDeus iuus? — O christian ! christian ! where is thy God ? There are few atheists in opinion, more in affection, most in conversation of life. You live in deceit and cozenage, and yet profess to believe an omniscient God ; and your privy walkings are full of sin and excess. There is blas- phemy in your lives : Kev. ii. 9, ' I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.' Mr Greenham tells of one who was executed at Norwich for an atheist ; first he was a papist, then a protestant ; then he fell off from all reli- gion, and turned atheist. How can you believe it is true that there is a God, when this truth hath so little power on the heart ?
3. It presseth you to lay this principle up with care. All Satan's malice is to bring you to a denial of this supreme truth ; it is good to discern his wiles. There are special seasons when you are most liable to atheism. When providence is adverse, prayers are not heard, and those that worship God are in the worst case ; the Lord doth not come in when we would have him. The devil worketh upon our stomach and discontent ; and when we are vexed that we have not our desires, we complain, as Israel, Exod. xvii. 7, ' Is the Lord among us or no?' when they wanted water. But still ' our God is in the lieavens, and doth whatsoever he pleaseth.' The saints in their expostulation still yield the principle : Ps. Ixxiii. 1, ' Truly God is good to Israel ;' how-