the creatures fight. All the stars fought against Sisera for Israel:
all the stars in heaven, and the dust on earth, fight for God against
the atheist. He hath as many arguments against him as there are
creatures in the whole compass of heaven and earth. He is most {a82}
unreasonable, that denies or doubts of that whose image and shadow he
sees round about him; he may sooner deny the sun that warms him, the
moon that in night walks in her brightness, deny the fruits he enjoys
from the earth, yea, and deny that he doth exist. He must tear his own
conscience, fly from his own thoughts, be changed into the nature of
a stone, which hath neither reason nor sense, before he can disengage
himself from those arguments which evince the being of a God. He that
would make the natural religion professed in the world a mere romance,
must give the lie to the common sense of mankind; he must be at an
irreconcilable enmity with his own reason, resolve to hear nothing
that it speaks, if he will not hear what it speaks in this case, with
a greater evidence than it can ascertain anything else. God hath so
settled himself in the reason of man, that he must vilify the noblest
faculty God hath given him, and put off nature itself, before he can
blot out the notion of a God.
3. No question but those that have been so bold as to deny that there
was a God, have sometimes been much afraid they have been in an error,
and have at least suspected there was a God, when some sudden prodigy
hath presented itself to them, and roused their fears; and whatsoever
sentiments they might have in their blinding prosperity, they have
had other kind of motions in them in their stormy afflictions, and,
like Jonah’s mariners, have been ready to cry to him for help, whom
they disdained to own so much as in being, while they swam in their
pleasures. The thoughts of a Deity cannot be so extinguished, but they
will revive and rush upon a man, at least under some sharp affliction.
Amazing judgments will make them question their own apprehensions. God
sends some messengers to keep alive the apprehension of him as a Judge,
while men resolve not to own or reverence him as a Governor. A man
cannot but keep a scent of what was born with him; as a vessel that
hath been seasoned first with a strong juice will preserve the scent
of it, whatsoever liquors are afterwards put into it.
4. What is it for which such men rack their wits, to form notions
that there is no God? Is it not that they would indulge some vicious
habit, which hath gained the possession of their soul, which they know
“cannot be favored by that holy God,” whose notion they would raze
out?[125] Is it not for some brutish affection, as degenerative of
human nature, as derogatory to the glory of God; a lust as unmanly
as sinful? The terrors of God are the effects of guilt; and therefore
men would wear out the apprehensions of a Deity, that they might
be brutish without control. They would fain believe there were no
God, that they might not be men, but beasts. How great a folly is
it to take so much pains in vain, for a slavery and torment; to
cast off that which they call a yoke, for that which really is one!
There is more pains and toughness of soul requisite to shake off
the apprehensions of God, than to believe that he is, and cleave
constantly to him. What a madness is it in any to take so much pains
to be less than a man, by razing out the apprehensions of God, when,
with less pains, he may be more than an earthly man, by cherishing the
notions of God, and walking answerably thereunto?
{a83} 5. How unreasonable is it for any man to hazard himself at
this rate in the denial of a God! The atheist saith he knows not that
there is a God; but may he not reasonably think there may be one for
aught he knows? and if there be, what a desperate confusion will he
be in, when all his bravadoes shall prove false! What can they gain
by such an opinion? A freedom, say they, from the burdensome yoke
of conscience, a liberty to do what they list, that doth not subject
them to divine laws. It is a hard matter to persuade any that they can
gain this. They can gain but a sordid pleasure, unworthy the nature
of man. But it were well that such would argue thus with themselves:
If there be a God, and I fear and obey him, I gain a happy eternity;
but if there be no God, I lose nothing but my sordid lusts, by firmly
believing there is one. If I be deceived at last, and find a God,
can I think to be rewarded by him, for disowning him? Do not I run a
desperate hazard to lose his favor, his kingdom, and endless felicity
for an endless torment? By confessing a God I venture no loss; but
by denying him, I run the most desperate hazard, if there be one. He
is not a reasonable creature, that will not put himself upon such a
reasonable arguing. What a doleful meeting will there be between the
God who is denied, and the atheist that denies him, who shall meet
with reproaches on God’s part, and terrors on his own! All that he
gains is a liberty to defile himself here, and a certainty to be
despised hereafter, if he be in an error, as undoubtedly he is.
6. Can any such person say he hath done all that he can to inform
himself of the being of God, or of other things which he denies?
Or rather they would fain imagine there is none, that they may
sleep securely in their lusts, and be free (if they could) from
the thunder‑claps of conscience. Can such say they have used their
utmost endeavors to instruct themselves in this, and can meet with no
satisfaction? Were it an abstruse truth it might not be wondered at;
but not to meet with satisfaction in this which everything minds us of,
and helpeth, is the fruit of an extreme negligence, stupidity, and a
willingness to be unsatisfied, and a judicial process of God against
them. It is strange any man should be so dark in that upon which
depends the conduct of his life, and the expectation of happiness
hereafter. I do not know what some of you may think, but I believe
these things are not useless to be proposed for ourselves to answer
temptations; we know not what wicked temptation in a debauched and
skeptic age, meeting with a corrupt heart, may prompt men to; and
though there may not be any atheist here present, yet I know there is
more than one, who have accidentally met with such, who openly denied
a Deity; and if the like occasion happen, these considerations may
not be unuseful to apply to their consciences. But I must confess,
that since those that live in this sentiment, do not judge themselves
worthy of their own care, they are not worthy of the care of others;
and a man must have all the charity of the christian religion, which
they despise, not to contemn them, and leave them to their own folly.
As we are to pity madmen, who sink under an unavoidable distemper, we
are as much to abominate them, who wilfully hug this prodigious frenzy.
{a84} _Use III._ If it be the atheist’s folly to deny or doubt of
the being of God, it is our wisdom to be firmly settled in this truth,
that God is. We should never be without our arms in an age wherein
atheism appears barefaced without a disguise. You may meet with
suggestions to it, though the devil formerly never attempted to
demolish this notion in the world, but was willing to keep it up,
so the worship due to God might run in his own channel, and was
necessitated to preserve it, without which he could not have erected
that idolatry, which was his great design in opposition to God;
yet since the foundations of that are torn up, and never like to be
rebuilt, he may endeavor, as his last refuge, to banish the notion of
God out of the world, that he may reign as absolutely without it, as
he did before by the mistakes about the divine nature. But we must not
lay all upon Satan; the corruption of our own hearts ministers matter
to such sparks. It is not said Satan hath suggested to the fool, but
“the fool hath said in his heart,” there is no God. But let them come
from what principle soever, silence them quickly, give them their
dismiss; oppose the whole scheme of nature to fight against them,
as the stars did against Sisera. Stir up sentiments of conscience
to oppose sentiments of corruption. Resolve sooner to believe that
yourselves are not, than that God is not; and if you suppose they
at any time come from Satan, object to him that you know he believes
the contrary to what he suggests. Settle this principle firmly in you,
“let us behold Him that is invisible,” as Moses did;[126] let us have
the sentiments following upon the notion of a God, to be restrained
by a fear of him, excited by a love to him, not to violate his laws
and offend his goodness. He is not a God careless of our actions,
negligent to inflict punishment, and bestow rewards, “he forgets not
the labor of our love,”[127] nor the integrity of our ways; he were
not a God, if he were not a governor; and punishments and rewards are
as essential to government, as a foundation to a building. His being
and his government in rewarding, which implies punishment, (for the
neglects of him are linked together)[128] are not to be separated in
our thoughts of him.
1. Without this truth fixed in us, we can never give him the worship
due to his name. When the knowledge of anything is fluctuating and
uncertain, our actions about it are careless. We regard not that
which we think doth not much concern us. If we do not firmly believe
there is a God, we shall pay him no steady worship; and if we believe
not the excellency of his nature, we shall offer him but a slight
service.[129] The Jews call the knowledge of the being of God the
foundation and pillar of wisdom.[130] The whole frame of religion is
dissolved without this apprehension, and totters if this apprehension
be wavering. Religion in the heart is as water in a weather‑glass,
which riseth or falls according to the strength or weakness of this
belief. How can any man worship that which he believes not to be, or
doubts of? Could any man omit the paying a homage to one, whom he did
believe to be an omnipotent, wise being, possessing {a85} (infinitely
above our conceptions) the perfections of all creatures? He must
either think there is no such being, or that he is an easy, drowsy,
inobservant God, and not such an one as our natural notions of him,
if listened to, as well as the Scripture, represents him to be.
2. Without being rooted in this, we cannot order our lives. All
our baseness, stupidity, dulness, wanderings, vanity, spring from
a wavering and unsettledness in this principle. This gives ground
to brutish pleasures, not only to solicit, but conquer us. Abraham
expected violence in any place where God was not owned (Gen. xx. 11),
“Surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will slay me
for my wife’s sake.” The natural knowledge of God firmly impressed,
would choke that which would stifle our reason and deface our souls.
The belief that God is, and what he is, would have a mighty influence
to persuade us to a real religion, and serious consideration, and
casting about how to be like to him and united with him.
3. Without it we cannot have any comfort of our lives. Who would
willingly live in a stormy world, void of a God? If we waver in this
principle, to whom should we make our complaints in our afflictions?
Where should we meet with supports? How could we satisfy ourselves
with the hopes of a future happiness? There is a sweetness in the
meditation of his existence, and that he is a Creator.[131] Thoughts
of other things have a bitterness mixed with them: houses, lands,
children, now are, shortly they will not be; but God is, that made the
world: his faithfulness as he is a Creator, is a ground to deposit our
souls and concerns in our innocent sufferings.[132] So far as we are
weak in the acknowledgment of God, we deprive ourselves of our content
in the view of his infinite perfections.
4. Without the rooting of this principle, we cannot have a firm belief
of Scripture. The Scripture will be a slight thing to one that hath
weak sentiments of God. The belief of a God must necessarily precede
the belief of any revelation; the latter cannot take place without
the former as a foundation. We must firmly believe the being of a God,
wherein our happiness doth consist, before we can believe any means
which conduct us to him. Moses begins with the Author of creation,
before he treats of the promise of redemption. Paul preached God as
a Creator to a university, before he preached Christ as Mediator.[133]
What influence can the testimony of God have in his revelation upon
one that doth not firmly assent to the truth of his being? All would
be in vain that is so often repeated, “Thus saith the Lord,” if we
do not believe there is a Lord that speaks it. There could be no
awe from his sovereignty in his commands, nor any comfortable taste
of his goodness in his promises. The more we are strengthened in
this principle, the more credit we shall be able to give to divine
revelation, to rest in his promise, and to reverence his precept; the
authority of all depends upon the being of the Revealer.
To this purpose, since we have handled this discourse by natural
arguments,
{a86} 1. Study God in the creatures as well as in the Scriptures. The
primary use of the creatures, is to acknowledge God in them; they were
made to be witnesses of himself in his goodness, and heralds of his
glory, which glory of God as Creator “shall endure forever” (Psalm
civ. 31): that whole psalm is a lecture of creation and providence.
The world is a sacred temple; man is introduced to contemplate it, and
behold with praise the glory of God in the pieces of his art. As grace
doth not destroy nature, so the book of redemption blots not out that
of creation. Had he not shown himself in his creatures, he could never
have shown himself in his Christ; the order of things required it.
God must be read wherever he is legible; the creatures are one book,
wherein he hath writ a part of the excellency of his name,[134] as
many artists do in their works and watches. God’s glory, like the
filings of gold, is too precious to be lost wherever it drops: nothing
so vile and base in the world, but carries in it an instruction for
man, and drives in further the notion of a God. As he said of his
cottage, Enter here, _Sunt hic etiam Dii_, God disdains not this place:
so the least creature speaks to man, every shrub in the field, every
fly in the air, every limb in a body; Consider me, God disdains not
to appear in me; he hath discovered in me his being and a part of his
skill, as well as in the highest. The creatures manifest the being of
God and part of his perfections. We have indeed a more excellent way,
a revelation setting him forth in a more excellent manner, a firmer
object of dependence, a brighter object of love, raising our hearts
from self‑confidence to a confidence in him. Though the appearance
of God in the one be clearer than in the other, yet neither is to
be neglected. The Scripture directs us to nature to view God; it had
been in vain else for the apostle to make use of natural arguments.
Nature is not contrary to Scripture, nor Scripture to nature; unless
we should think God contrary to himself who is the Author of both.
2. View God in your own experiences of him. There is a taste and
sight of his goodness, though no sight of his essence.[135] By the
taste of his goodness you may know the reality of the fountain, whence
it springs and from whence it flows; this surpasseth the greatest
capacity of a mere natural understanding. Experience of the sweetness
of the ways of Christianity is a mighty preservative against atheism.
Many a man knows not how to prove honey to be sweet by his reason, but
by his sense; and if all the reason in the world be brought against
it, he will not be reasoned out of what he tastes. Have not many found
the delightful illapses of God into their souls, often sprinkled with
his inward blessings upon their seeking of him; had secret warnings in
their approaches to him; and gentle rebukes in their consciences upon
their swervings from him? Have not many found sometimes an invisible
hand raising them up when they were dejected; some unexpected
providence stepping in for their relief; and easily perceived that
it could not be a work of chance, nor many times the intention of the
instruments he hath used in it? You have often found that {a87} he is,
by finding that he is a rewarder, and can set to your seals that he is
what he hath declared himself to be in his word (Isa. xliii. 12): “I
have declared, and have saved; therefore you are my witnesses, saith
the Lord, that I am God.” The secret touches of God upon the heart,
and inward converses with him, are a greater evidence of the existence
of a supreme and infinitely good Being, than all nature.
_Use IV._ Is it a folly to deny or doubt of the being of God? It is a
folly also not to worship God, when we acknowledge his existence; it
is our wisdom then to worship him. As it is not indifferent whether
we believe there is a God or no; so it is not indifferent whether we
will give honor to that God or no. A worship is his right as he is the
Author of our being, and fountain of our happiness. By this only we
acknowledge his Deity; though we may profess his being, yet we deny
that profession in neglects of worship. To deny him a worship is as
great a folly, as to deny his being. He that renounceth all homage to
his Creator, envies him the being which he cannot deprive him of. The
natural inclination to worship is as universal as the notion of a God;
idolatry else had never gained footing in the world. The existence of
God was never owned in any nation, but a worship of him was appointed.
And many people who have turned their backs upon some other parts
of the law of nature, have paid a continual homage to some superior
and invisible being. The Jews give a reason why man was created in
the evening of the Sabbath, because he should begin his being with
the worship of his Maker. As soon as ever he found himself to be
a creature, his first solemn act should be a particular respect to
his Creator. “To fear God and keep his commandment,” is the whole of
man,[136] or is whole man;[137] he is not a man but a beast, without
observance of God. Religion is as requisite as reason to complete
a man: he were not reasonable if he were not religious; because by
neglecting religion, he neglects the chiefest dictate of reason.
Either God framed the world with so much order, elegancy, and variety
to no purpose, or this was his end at least, that reasonable creatures
should admire him in it, and honor him for it. The notion of God
was not stamped upon men, the shadows of God did not appear in the
creatures, to be the subject of an idle contemplation, but the motive
of a due homage to God. He created the world for his glory, a people
for himself, that he might have the honor of his works; that since we
live and move in him, and by him, we should live and move to him and
for him. It was the condemnation of the heathen world, that when they
knew there was a God, they did not give him the glory due to him.[138]
He that denies his being, is an atheist to his essence: he that denies
his worship, is an atheist to his honor.
If it be a folly to deny the being of God, it will be our wisdom,
then, since we acknowledge his being, often to think of him. Thoughts
are the first issue of a creature as reasonable:[139] He that hath
given us the faculty whereby we are able to think, should be the
principal object about which the power of it should be exercised.
It is a justice to God, the author of our understandings, a justice
to {a88} the nature of our understandings, that the noblest faculty
should be employed about the most excellent object. Our minds are
a beam from God; and, therefore, as the beams of the sun, when they
touch the earth, should reflect back upon God. As we seem to deny the
being of God not to think of him; we seem also to unsoul our souls
in misemploying the activity of them any other way, like flies, to
be oftener on dunghills than flowers. It is made the black mark of
an ungodly man, or an atheist, that “God is not in all his thoughts”
(Psalm x. 4). What comfort can be had in the being of God without
thinking of him with reverence and delight? A God forgotten is as good
as no God to us.
{a89} DISCOURSE II.
ON PRACTICAL ATHEISM.
PSALM xiv. 1.――The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is
none that doeth good.
PRACTICAL atheism is natural to man in his depraved state, and very
frequent in the hearts and lives of men.
_The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God._ He regards him
as little as if he had no being. He said in his _heart_, not with
his tongue, nor in his head: he never firmly thought it, nor openly
asserted it. Shame put a bar to the first, and natural reason to the
second; yet, perhaps, he had sometimes some doubts whether there were
a God or no. He wished there were not any, and sometimes hoped there
were none at all. He could not raze out the notion of a Deity in his
mind, but he neglected the fixing the sense of God in his heart, and
made it too much his business to deface and blot out those characters
of God in his soul, which had been left under the ruins of original
nature. Men may have atheistical hearts without atheistical heads.
Their reasons may defend the notion of a Deity, while their hearts
are empty of affection to the Deity. Job’s children may curse God
_in their hearts_, though not with their lips.[140]
_There is no God._ Most understand it of a denial of the providence
of God, as I have said in opening the former doctrine. He denies some
essential attribute of God, or the exercise of that attribute in the
world.[141] He that denies any _essential_ attribute, may be said to
deny the being of God. Whosoever denies angels or men to have reason
and will, denies the human and angelical nature, because understanding
and will are essential to both those natures; there could neither
be angel nor man without them. No nature can subsist without the
perfections essential to that nature, nor God be conceived of without
his. The apostle tells us (Eph. ii. 12), that the Gentiles were
“without God in the world.” So, in some sense, all unbelievers may
be termed atheists; for rejecting the Mediator appointed by God, they
reject that God who appointed him. But this is beyond the intended
scope, natural atheism being the only subject; yet this is deducible
from it. That the title of ἄθεοι doth not only belong to those who
deny the existence of God, or to those who contemn all sense of a
Deity, and would root the conscience and reverence of God out {a90}
of their souls; but it belongs also to those who give not that worship
to God which is due to him, who worship many gods, or who worship
one God in a false and superstitious manner, when they have not right
conceptions of God, nor intend an adoration of him according to the
excellency of his nature. All those that are unconcerned for any
particular religion fall under this character: though they own a
God in general, yet are willing to acknowledge any God that shall be
coined by the powers under whom they live. The Gentiles were without
God in the world; without the true notion of God, not without a God of
their own framing. This general or practical atheism is natural to men.
1. Not natural by created, but by corrupted nature. It is against
nature, as nature came out of the hand of God; but universally
natural, as nature hath been sophisticated and infected by the
serpent’s breath. Inconsideration of God, or misrepresentation of his
nature, are as agreeable to corrupt nature, as the disowning the being
of a God is contrary to common reason. God is not denied, _naturâ, sed
vitiis_.[142]