2. The denying of particular providence, and exempting of human actions from God's predetermination and dominion. Many think that the world is but as a great clock, which is set right at first by God, afterwards it is left to its own motion. The heathens had such a sense of God that they counted them atheists that denied providence ; and to deny providence is to exempt the creature from subjection and dependence upon God. Therefore take heed of those doctrines that would make God an idle spectator of the world, as if he were shut up within the heavens, and had nothing to do with the affairs of the world. But they fall out, as men will. The scriptures tell you there is not a sparrow that can fall to the ground without your heavenly Father, and that he looks after the young ravens, and feeds them. It was the wicked blasphemy of Vorstius to say, God was not at leisure to tell the gnats, and count the number of your hairs ; to feed the ravens, and look after every creature, and so would exempt many things from God's providence ; but exempt anything from providence, and you will soon run into all manner of libertinism. If Satan and wicked men may do what they will, and God be only a looker-on, then Ave may worship the devil lest he hurt us ; and fear men, though God be propitious to us. Heathens, though they acknowledged a God, yet, •because they exempted evil actions from the dominion of providence, they fell into many mistakes in worship — this was one. The heathens had a conceit there were evil powers, which were first to be pacified ;
VeR. 6.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI, 137
then good powers, that were afterwards to be invoked — first, they would appease evil powers, sacrifice to evil gods, and then invoke the good ; therefore it is dangerous to exempt anything from God's provi- dence, for it is God that orders all the evil that falls out in the world.
3. Denying the immortality of the soul. Besides that, it cuts off the hopes of the everlasting recompenses, and so destroys the chiefest part of God's providence, it is a stroke at God's being, who is the supreme of spirits. There is an order among spirits ; first, the souls of men, then angels, then God. And look, as God under the law forbade cruelty to the beasts ; as in that law, that birds were not to be killed in breeding time ; that they should not seethe a kid in the mother's milk ; that a good man should be merciful to his beast ; now these laws, as divines well observe, are a rail and fence about the life of man. God would have us at such a distance from cruelty, that he would not have us cruel to our beasts. So say I ; there are orders and degrees of spirits, which are as it were a fence about the sense we have of the being and majesty of God ; so that to deny the immortality of the soul is a stroke at a distance at the eternity and being of God. For one great argument, to prove the being of God is the immortality of the soul. If the soul be not extinguished with the body, there must be some supreme infinite spirit to which it is gathered; and indeed the sleep of the soul is a step to this opinion. Hearken not to those opin- ions ; it is good to take the little foxes : Cant. ii. 15, ' Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines.' It is good to resist errors when they come with the most modest appearance.
4. Another thing that tends extremely to atheism, is popery ; for though they have the principles of christian religion among them, yet there are so many superadditions, that it is a dangerous inducement to atheism ; and for matter of experience, this is clear, that where pojiery has the most absolute command, there atheism most abounds. Is ow how doth popery tend to atheism ? Upon several accounts ; partly, because it is a pompous formal religion, consisting of many idle and ridiculous ceremonies, which cannot but beget a secret contempt and scorn of religion, in the eyes of wise and considering men ; and partly, because tliougli they have the fundamentals of Christianity amongst them, yet take the superstructures of popery, and it is a doctrine cal- culated for the present world, and fitted for human policy and for temporal ends ; and partly, as it is supported by forged miracles, and lying legends — all which are very apt to beget suspicions in the hearts of men, and make them to question all, when they see religion sup- ported with so many lies and forgeries ; and partly, because these opinions are so monstrous, as that of transubstantiation and others, which are contrary to the nature and being of God ; and from thence have a mighty tendency to breed atheism in the hearts of men.
5. The expectation of new light beyond the scripture — a conceit that possesseth the hearts of many now-a-days. I do not speak of de- grees of knowledge — for so certainly we are to expect new light every day ; as long as we are in the world, we grow in knowledge — but I speak of a new revelation. It is possible that future light may disprove many of our present practices ; but when we expect new revelations