VeR. G.] sermons upon HEBREWS XI. 125
tenor and rigour of his justice, that we may open our case to God ; oh, let us make use of our liberty I
Must believe that he is, &c. As if the apostle had said, At least, there must be this faith ; he must be persuaded first of the truth of God's being ; secondly, of the certainty of his bounty, and doing good unto those that come to him. Here are two articles mentioned — God's being, and God's bounty ; ' He is,' and ' He is a rewarder,' &c. The apostle saith that this must be believed if we would please God ; he doth not say. This is all that must be believed ; but this certainly must be believed. For these are the general truths which are the foundation of all that which is called religion in the world — that there is a God, and that he takes notice of human affairs. None would seek the favour of God unless he did believe his being and bounty ; and no man will be touched with any care of religion unless he doth assent to these supreme truths ; yet there is a God, and that he hath such respect to human affairs, as that he will reward the obedient and revenge the disobedient. These are principles that are evident by the light of nature ; and they are mentioned, because therein the faith of the patriarchs was most exercised, and because tliese are the foundations of all religion. The main work of religion is to bring our souls to God, and the main ground and reason is the truth of his being and recompenses. If there is a God, there are everlasting recompenses — rewards for the good, punishments for the wicked. Eewards are only mentioned as suiting more with God's goodness, and as being more proper objects for faith ; the other, for fear. And therefore he that would come to God ; that is, he that would maintain friendship and communion with him, and seek his favour (for he speaks of Enoch's pleasing God), must firmly believe these things ; or, if you take coming to God for our address and approaches to God in holy duties, still these two principles are of use to us. Eveiy time we come to God we must revive this thought upon our hearts, — Surely there is a God, and it will not be in vain to inquire after him ; for this puts life and strength and quickening into our duties.
The point I shall now discuss is this —
I)oct. That the first point of faith, if we would have anything to do with God, is to believe that there is a God.
This is the primitive and supreme truth, therefore let me discuss it a little ; the argument is not needless.
1. Partly because the most universal and incurable disease of the world is atheism ; it is disguised under several shapes, but atheism it is that lies at the root, and blasts and destroys all practice and good conscience ; and therefore it is good to deal upon this argument, and to reflect the light of this truth upon our conscience, and to take all occasions to batter down that atheism that is in our hearts. I know to chop logic witli a sturdy settled atheist will be to little purpose. General maxims can hardly be proved by truths more clear and evident than themselves, and it is not good to loosen foundation stones. Vv^e cannot guard them so much by argument, as they are guarded by their own light and the sense which nature hath of them; and therefore Aristotle said. That they are rather to be confuted with blows than arguments that will deny there is a God ; as Gideon taught the men
126 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XXX.
of Succoth with briars and thorns. Protagoras was banished by the Athenians for denying this truth. But it is not for their sakes. but because such kind of surmises are wont to arise in the hearts of iren, where they do not grow into settled atheism, even in the hearts of all unrenewed men, that there is no God ; therefore it is good to speak to this argument : Ps. xiv. 1, ' The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God,' &c ; and it is quoted by Paul, Rom. iii. 10, to prove the degenera- tion of all men. Every natural unrenewed man is a kind of atheist ; though he dare not lisp out such conceptions, yet he hath it in his heart ; there is something there that is ever rising up against the being of God ; nay, such a thought may come by fits and glances into the hearts of good men. Privy atheism is in the hearts of all men, and therefore it is good sometimes to settle the belief of this supreme truth, to stand upon our guard, and in defiance of such thoughts, that the heart will ever and anon be casting up, to call to the help of reason.
2. Because supreme truths should be laid up with the greatest cer- tainty and assurance. Christians are mistaken very much, if they think all the diflficulty of religion lies in affiance, and taking out their own comfort, and in clearing up their own particular interest. Oh, no ; a great deal of it lies in assent ; there is privy atheism at the root, and therefore doth the work of God go on so untowardly with us — therefore have we such doubtings and so many deformities of life and conversa- tion. If the fire were once well kindled, it would of its own accord burst out into a flame, and burn clear ; so if assent were firmly rooted, if we were once settled under the power and dominion of this truth, confidence would follow of its own accord, and the whole business of religion, both as to comfort and practice, would be far moi-e easy to us. All our doubts come from want of a firm assent to the being of God, and to the word of God. Indeed, at first, while we are learners of re- ligion, it becomes us to drink in these principles and maxims of religion without discussion ; we take them in as men do pills ; we do not chew them, but swallow them ; and it is fit it should be so. Oportet cUscen- tem credere, a learner must believe, but afterward we must inquire into the reason of these things ; nay, when a man is first converted, and begins to be serious in religion, when a man is touched in conscience, his will is more exercised than his understanding ; he needs Christ, and all the endeavours and resolutions of the soul are to get an interest in him. And he doth not so much debate the mystery of religion as his own particular case ; his heart is carried out after comfort, and he seems mainly to desire some satisfaction ; but he doth not look into the grounds from whence this doth arise. As men in a deep thirst swallow their drink before they know the nature of it, or discern the taste of it; so when we are under a great thirst, or under great famishment as to spiritual comfort, and have great troubles upon us, we take up with the comfortable notions of Christ and salvation by him, and easily drink in these and other truths ; we catcli at them without looking into the grounds or reasons of them, but afterwards we see this needs to be the care and labour of the soul, to strengthen our assent and fortify our- selves against those doubts of mind which shake us, and to settle the heart in those supreme truths which in our necessity we took in Avith- out discussion.