2 Peter 3:4

REligion hath two extremes, both mortall enemies to her; Superstition, and Atheisme. The former will worship God her owne way; the other will acknowledge no God, to worship any way. It is hard to say, which of these is the worse; either to the owners, or to their neighbours, or to the Lord himselfe.

1. To the owners. Atheisme leaves a man to Sense, to Philosophy, to naturall Piety, to Lawes, to Reputation: all which are some kinde of guides to morall vertue, though Religion were not. But superstition dismounts all, and prescribes a law to it selfe; a forme of worship, which if God will not accept, he shall have no obedience at all. So in stead of a kingdome, it erecteth an absolute tyranny in the minde. From hence it comes, that no Pagans have beene worse to Christians, than Papists: their superstition allowing that villany, which irreligion would not admit. We never read among the Heathen so horrible and hideous a treason, as the Powder-plot in England, attempted by them that professe the true God, but by a false worship. There is no Epicure of old, or present Atheist, but would rather bee what hee is, than such a Christian. They would but breake the bond of religious unity: these dissolve the combination of all humane society. Wee pitty the mad men of Munster, but wee cannot but hate a religious Conspirator. It is a great deale lesse mischiefe, that the want of all religion should deface mens understanding, than that any religion should spoyle them of Piety and Charity: when reason shall onely bee retained as an Engine or Chariot-driver of malice, and most bloody cruelty. There is no such Atheist, as a devout Hypocrite, a pious imposter: there would be never a Divell left in Hell, rather than his bosome should want guests and supply.

2. To others. Atheisme is commonly confined to a mans owne breast, and does intra orbem suum furere: because it knowes the owne weaknesse to prevaile against the universall Tenent: but Superstition is like a ball of Snow, that greatens it selfe by rolling. Never any Nation was wholly given over to Atheisme: some god they acknowledged, though they could not light on the True: but Superstition hath beene an epidemicall plague, leaving none un-infected. Atheisme did never disturbe States, but contracted it selfe with civility, and subordinate obedience. But Superstition hath alwayes made uprores, and beene the confusion of Countreyes. Atheisme hath taught men to be wary of themselves: they that expect no life after this, will make as much of this as they can: and therefore avoide quarrells that may trouble their peace, and enormities that may shorten their lives: therefore the times inclined to Atheisme, as in the daies of Augustus Caesar, were civill times. But Superstition brings in a new Primum mobile, that ravisheth all the Spheres of government into disorder. As Custome is the master of Ceremonie, so the master of Superstition is the people. In both, wise men are faine to follow fooles ; and what the multitude authoriseth by practise that the wittes [must make] stomes, and those their Princes must Lawes. [establish for] for Religion, were evils unknowne 〈…〉 Divell, 〈◊〉 divers names and formes. And for the petty quarrells among their Puppet-gods; as Mulciber in Trojam, pro Troja stabat Apollo; these differences were soone taken up at a Taverne, and reconciled over a cup of wine. But Superstition is alwayes in garboyles, and the most deadly enmities. Both are such enemies to all States, that Princes by their power, and Churches but their Decrees, should alwayes joyne in the damning to Hell such Factions, and their supports: and in all Councels concerning Religion, the counsaile of the Apostle would be prefixed; The wrath of man doth not fulfill the rightuosnesse of God.

3. To God. Atheisme would have Deum nullum; Superstition, Deum ignobilem: the one would plucke him out of his Throne, the other would share with him in his Throne. The one does him trecherie; the other contumelie, both injurie. The Philosopher could tell there is a God, and that he is to be worshipped: but the true nature of God, and how to be worshipped; he could never demonstrate. Yet it is wonderfull that they went not thus farre, as to consider, that if there be onely one God, and he to be worshipped; they did not examine the Rules whereby he commands himselfe to be worshipped: Seeing it is folly to acknowledge the King our Soveraigne, and to contemne his Lawes. What is this, but to reproach the Deitie, when we know his Precepts; yet refuse them, and follow our owne fancies? It is, in stead of subjects, to make our selves fellowes with him in his Kingdome. And God will sooner pardon revolters, (wee have no portion in David) than rebels, that would take away the portion of David. Sheba flies off, and would have no King: Absalom flies on, and would be King himselfe. The Atheist would have no roome for God: the Pope would have a roome with God, 2 Thess. 2.4. yea, a roome above God. And whiles hee makes the world beleeve, he is the Servant of Christ, hee endevours to make Christ his servant: subjecting Gods royall and eternall Lawes, to his owne forged and mangie Traditions.

Thus miserably assailed on both sides is poore (but pure) Religion: on the one side with Papists, that would scratch out her eyes: on the other side with Atheists, that in their owne hearts, and Quoad se, would cut her throat. With this Monster we are now to encounter, which comes roaring with two blasphemies in his mouth: A Challenge; Where is the promise of his comming? Defiance; All things continue as they were, &c.

But before I come to examine these particular arguments, something is requisite to be spoken of Atheisme in generall. And here consider, the Nature, the Measure, the Kindes, the Causes, and the Conviction of it.

1. The Nature of it, is this: That it forceth a perswasion in the heart, of the nullitie of Divine Power; and leaves the whole world to be governed by Fortune. In our Saviours time there were Sadduces, that denyed the Resurrection. They could not but know, that they should die; they would not beleeve, that they should rise againe; or, give any account after death, for that they had done during life. The Schoole that is most charged with this Infidell affection, was that of Lucippus, and Epicurus: which taught, that foure mutable elements, and one immutable fifth essence, duely and eternally placed, needed no God. Which opinion yet was not so unreasonable as that other, that an armie of Atomes, infinite small portions or seedes unplaced should produce such an other and beautie, without a Divine Marshall. Yet still some fire burst forth, like thunder, through all those conglommerated clouds: nor did Epicurus utterly denie all Deitie; but that the Power which was, had not respect to the Government of the world. Nor did he, as our Atheists say, temporize in this, and dissemble for his credites sake: as if he thought in his heart, there was no God. For his words as more noble: Non Deos vulgi negare, profanum: sed vulgi opinionem Diis [applicare], . Though he had the confidence to denie the administration, he had not the power to denie the nature.

Indians and Pagans are not without their particular gods, and they have severall sinnes for them; though they have no name for the true God. So the Heathen had their Iupiter, Mars, Apollo; and would rather embrace many gods, then none at all: thus doe the most barbarous Savages convince Atheists These are they that call all Scripture into question; and if they entertaine the moralitie, yet will not credite the historie. If Genesis say, God made the world they presently aske, who made Genesis? If the Apostles say, the world shall be dissolved they demand, who told them so? They are content, with Cornelius Tacitus acknowledge Moses a wise Naturian, well seene in the Learning of Egypt: but that he had Divine assistance in the greatest of his Miracles, this they denie. The Water which hee strucke out of the Rocke (say they) was not by any supernaturall worke of God; but by watching to what part of the Wildernesse the wild Asses repaired for drinke. They hold with Albumasar, that his leading Israel over the Red Sea, was no more but observing the influence of the starres, and waining of the Moone, that with-draweth the Tydes. Because some have discredited the storie of Susanna, Iudith, and the like Apocryphall Bookes; therefore they serve all the rest alike, and paralel the whole Bible with the Iewish Thalmud, and taxe it for a fabulous Legend. 2 Cor. 4.3. But if our Gospel hid, it is hid to them that are lost. They will not beleeve, that are ordained to perish.

2. The Measure of it: Above other sinnes, it offers violence both to God and his Image. To God; in that it would not onely rob him of his glory, but the world of him, of the Maker. Psal. 19.1. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament sheweth his handy-worke. But these contradicters denie him that honour: as if Heaven were not his (but onely naturall) manufacture. He made all eyes, yet they would not leave him an eye to see withall. As if the Maker of all eares, of all tongues, of all hearts, should not have an eare to heare, or a heart to be sensible of such blasphemies. Not that hee hath these members or affections, but the vertue of these in an infinite perfection. They have their being, live, move in him; yet denie him life, motion, and being: as if hee that made their hands, had none himselfe. They establish Reason as their god, and will not be perswaded there is any other God, unlesse hee makes them privie to all those abstracted and unsearchable secrecies. They aske when he had his beginning, that is without beginning, that gives beginning to all things. Or, how he governes: as if a King should give account to his subjects. They examine him straitly, where he was, what he did, before he created Heaven and Earth: and yet wee never found a Pitcher call his Potter to a reckoning. They runne through every circumstance of his providence; with, Why he did this; and, Why he did not that. Such ambitious cogitations be found in earthen bodies; even to ransacke the Kings private Closet, and to peruse the Records of Heaven: which if they cannot attaine, they will vellicate and deprave. That insatiate Diver into the secrets of Nature, who in the round compendiate bladder of his braine, did seeke to conglobe those three great Bodies, Heaven, Earth, and the wide World of Waters; Aristotle: so puzzled his thoughts about the beginning and bounds of Nilus, that in Nilus he drowned himselfe: and because he could not comprehend it, would needes be comprehended by it. If that soule, so metaphysically subtle, could not graspe a River, who shall fetch out the concealements of the infinite Godhead? The Angels know not the day of Iudgement, much lesse other more secret circumstances: And will God conceale that from his sanctified attendants, which he reveales to sinners? We men doe not tell our secrets to enemies, or strangers. They that are never so familiar with earthly States, must not thinke to be familiar with the State of Heaven. Thus injurious are they to their Maker, and to themselves: striving to scrape out those engraven Principles and Divine Characters, which God at first printed in his owne Image.

3. The Kindes are two: First, the inward Atheist; that like the Panther, hides his head in a Hood of Religion, when hee seekes for a bootie: that devoures Widowes houses, under pretence of long prayers. Church-Rites hee supposeth not amisse to busie the peoples heads with, and keepe them from minding his proceedings. Hee cares not what god hee entertaines, but himselfe is the onely god he heartily worships. He puts on a holy looke, when he meanes to doe mischiefe; and hath Scripture in his mouth, even while he is cutting his neighbours throat. As the Gospel is the power of God to salvation, to every one that beleeves it: so he makes the profession of it, Satans power of deceiving, to every one that beleeves him. Vnder the colour of suppressing Poperie, hee will not leave the Church a jot of her owne Patrimonie. The doore of his mouth is swept and garnished, Mat. 12. and strewed with greene Rushes; but in his heart is a whole Legion of Devils. The hypocrite certainely is a secret Atheist: for if he did beleeve there was a God, he durst not be so bold as to coozen him to his face.

Next, the outward Atheist; that professeth there is no God. The former are cunning, and swimme with the Tide: these have learned (like Trowtes) to swimme alwayes against the streame. They tell us of Egyptians, that can prove a continued succession of their Kings for seventie thousand yeares: and impudently persist in it, that the late discover’d Indians are able to shew antiquities many thousand yeeres older than Adam. So hellish are their falsehoods; yea they say, there is no Hell at all, but in opinion: but the Devill would give them all the world, that they could prove it so. Devils, say they? Alas, there are none: but the time shall come, they would give all the world, there were not. Iulian called all Christians, Galileans: and in the houre of his death there appeared to him a grizly shagge-hair’d Devil; who (notwithstanding hee cryed out, Vicisti Galilae, Vicisti, Thine is the day) would never give him over, till hee had stripped his soule, like pith out of her fleshie stalke, and bore it with him to endlesse torments.

4. The Causes follow; which are partly within them, and partly without them. Within them two:

First, Ignorance: Because they cannot grossely palpare, feele God with their bodily fingers, or see him with their eyes, they confidently renounce him. Hebr. 11.6. He that comes to God, must beleeve. They doe not come to God, but come against God: nor doe they beleeve, he is the rewarder of them that seeke him: but rather, that they prosper best, who despise him. Is a Monarch no King, because he does not set his Throne among his utmost subjects, and borderers of his Kingdome? We are Gods utmost subjects; the last (in a manner) that he hath brought to his obedience: shall we forget our selves to be his subjects, because he is not as visibly conversant among us, as among his Angels? The soule governes the body; the body can neither see nor heare this soule: hath it therefore no soule? Yes: and as the body could not stirre without the soule; so neither body nor soule could move without God. It is hee that lets forth, and calls in our breath, that shuts and opens our eyes, orders our hands, and guides our feet, as he pleaseth. Suppose our King should erect his Throne in a forraine Land; yet he is still our King, and his power undiminished. Indeed so did our fathers rebell, and forgot they had a King: so did the Kings owne brother rebell, and forgot that he had a brother; crowning himselfe King, when Richard Cuer de Lyon was warring in the holy Land. He that is every where, must needs bee among us, though we see him not: divers Princes have taken pleasure to walke disguised among their owne subjects. How potent and patient is that God, who gives motion to those tongues that blaspheme him? Wee would not lend our enemie weapons to fight against us. A little Philosophy inclineth mans minde to Atheisme: but but depth in Philosophy bringeth him about to Religion. When men looke upon second causes, scattered; they are ready to rest in them: but when they behold them confederate and knit together, they flie to Providence and confesse a Deity. Therefore Psal. 14.1. David sets a fooles cap on the head of Atheisme.

Secondly, Pride. Prosperity doth so tympanize mens soules, and entraunce them from themselves, that they forget they had a Maker. Who is God, saith Pharaoh: There is no God, saith Nebuchadnezzar: I am God, saith Alexander. but Nebuchadnezzar found there was a God: Pharaoh found what that God was; Alexander found himselfe to be none; and confessed that hee knew himselfe mortall by two things; sleepe and lust. These drunken favourites of the world runne mad with a conceit of themselves; and have so farre waded into the streame of blasphemies, and scorne of the Scriptures: that finding this height of provocation to escape punishment, they conclude there is no God to punish: otherwise he would not put up such indignities. First, they have made themselves profane against God, and then pumpe their wits for reasons to prove there is no God. So the Poet, though hee brought it in with an ignoscite falso, and with some more nicety, as if it were a temptation onely, and put upon him: Solicitor nullos esse putare deos. The Snake, which the kinde husbandman tooke out of the cold, and cherished in his bosome, when she had recovered her lively heat, and growne lusty; singled out him ungratefully, to try her first sting upon. God hath redeemed poore frost-bitten Snakes, miserable sinners, from scarcity and want: and they no sooner have pick’d up their crummes; but presently (as if they could now stand of themselves, and needed his helpe no more) they sting him with their blasphemies. And finding themselves as great as they can well bee amongst men, grow to envy and extenuate their Maker. If Ziba bee waxed great under Mephibosheth, he will give him a lift for all he hath: a promoted Beggar hath not seldome renounced his owne parents. It is not so easie for a poore man to bee an Atheist. But impetuous lust, if it must bee controlled, had rather say, there is no God, than yeeld to a God that will not yeeld to them.

The Cause without them are two. First unlearned and rude Teachers, that leape out of a library of Catechismes into the loftiest Pulpits; that usurpe the Chaire of Paul, and were never brought up at the feet of Gamaleel. These by preaching nothing but faith, quite discredite all faith, in the Atheists of our time. To plunge and blunder in the Pulpit, to bungle up a discourse of two houres, to apply Scriptures without purpose; as if like Botchers, they would mend leather-doubtlets with velvet shreds: to deliver full stomach’d tautalogy for the evidence of the Spirit: to bee all utterance, no materials, and so not to edifie but tedifie their hearers. This disgraceth the cause of Christ with these soule-Benummed enemies; who professe, they had rather heare jarring blacke••nts, than such bald Sermons. The Kings Embassage is dishonoured, that is delivered by ignorants: nor can it bee credited, when not two of them agree in the tale. How doe they jeere at us, when they see congregations so thronged where such heavy gated Lumberers teach? As if their mouths were reverenced as the lippes of the Sybils, who spake nothing but it was registred; and all their sentences were even Oracles. For this, the Italians call us dull-headed [Tyramontani]: for this, Atheists traduce us, that our braines are lost with the fumes of full platters, and our spirits buried in Beefe-pots. That as England hath Tinne and Leaden Mines, so it hath Tinne and Leaden Muses: that wee have none left to confute Images and blockes, but blockes and Images. Though wee could easily cleare our selves, and the whole Ministery of our Church, from these unjust imputations: yet let us know this, that these enemies are speciall men of wit: Popery hath not won to it selfe so great wits as Atheisme: it is the superfluity of wit that makes Atheists. These will not bee beaten downe with fusty dorbellisme: disordered haile-shot of Scriptures will never scare them: they must bee convinced and beaten at their owne weapons. Caesarem appellasti? Ad Caesarem ibis. Have they appealed to reason? Let us bring reason to them, that wee may bring them to reason. Wee need not feare the want of weapons in that armory, but our owne ignorance and want of skill to use them. There is enough even in Philosophy to convince Atheisme, and make them confesse, Propriis configimur pennis.

Next, the bad lives of the religious: when they see those hat acknowledge God, doe worse deeds than they that acknowledge no God, this confirmes them in Atheisme. It was the calling of the Apostles, and in some degree it is the office of all Christians, to be Act. 18.22. Witnesses unto Christ. Iohn Baptist was more than a Prophet, because hee was a Witnesse of Christ: that great and glorious name of Martyr, is but a Witnesse. Now to bee Witnesses of Christ, is to bee like Christ; to conforme our selves to the Doctrine and Example of Christ. Iohn Baptist was like him, he did as Hee did; hee led an holy and religious life: so he was a Witnesse. Saint Stephen was Protomartyr, Christs first Witnesse; because he was the first that did as hee did, that put on his colours, that drunke of his cup, that was baptized with his Baptisme, with his owne blood: so he was a witnesse. All Christians witnesse for Christ with their mouths, but some witnesse against him with their lives. They have a forme of godlinesse, that is lip-testimony: but 2 Tim. 3.5. deny the power of it; here is no life-testimony. Infamy is one of the highest punishments which the law of man inflicts: Death ends all temporall sufferings, but this lies upon a malefactor even after death. Infamy is the worst penalty; and intestability, (to bee made intestable) is one of the deepest wounds of infamy: and then the worst degree of intestability is not to be beleeved, not admitted for a witnesse of any other. He is intestable, that cannot make a Testament or Will, that cannot give his owne goods: and he is intestable, that can receive nothing by the Testament of another. Hee is intestable, in whose behalfe no Testimony may be accepted: but hee is the most miserably intestable of all, the most detestably intestable, that discredites another man by speaking well of him; and makes him the more suspicious by his commendations. A Christian in profession, that is not a Christan in life, is in this last kinde intestable: he discredites Christ by bearing witnesse of his Name, and makes his Name so much the lesse regarded by his witnessing.

From hence is the quarrell of all these Atheists against Religion; because it is barraine of good workes. When the Orthodoxe and Arrian Bishops contended about the faith, Iovinian could say; Of your learning I cannot so well judge, or your subtle disputations: but I can observe which of you have the better behaviours, Lucius, reputed an Arrian Bishop, cleared himselfe to one Moses, and made confession of his faith. Tush, saith Moses, what tellest thou mee of the faith of the eares? Let me have the faith of the hands: I will not take my instalment from hands full of aspersions, of bribery, blood, and injustice. Occulat • mihi sunt manus, saith the Atheist with that Strumpet, Credunt quod vident. This gives them occasion to blaspheme God, and to doubt whether all Divinity bee not meere pollicy, and the Scriptures a fable. This is the principall pretext of Atheisme, yea the fountaine. There was a woman much spoken of in some parts of this Land, that lived in professed doubt of the Deity; even after illumination and repentance hardly comforted: who often protested, that the vicious and offensive life of a great learned man in the towne where she dwelt, did occasion these damned doubts in her minde. This opens the mouth of wickednesse; this is the hint of all their scornes and scoffes of Religion. This made Linacre, reading upon the new Testament, the fift, sixt, and seventh Chapters of Saint Matthewes Gospell; and comparing those rules with Christian lives; to throw downe the Booke, and burst forth into this protestation: Either this is not Gods Gospell or we are not Christians.

5. The Conviction. Doth all the world acknowledge some God? Doe some nations entertaine too many gods? And wilt not thou grant one God? Revolve thy memory, turne over the Records of that Diary: did’st thou never pray? Yes, and obtained: who heard thee, who granted that? Thou could’st not breath, unlesse God did put the breath of life into thee; as unlesse the bellowes did respire winde, they could not blow. Is there a sparke of fire in thee, a soule? How came it there? How doth the compacture of thy body hang together? Why does it not fall asunder now, and why shall it dissolve hereafter? Is any of these dispositions in thine owne hand? Who leads the Sonne out of his chamber, or brings the Moone forth of her cloudy pavilion, but God? Why doth not the sea swallow up the earth, as well as over-peere it, but that there is a God that snaffles and curbes it? Hath the vast azur’d Canopy nothing above it, whereunto it is perpendicularly knit? Why then doe not all things wheele and swerve topsie-turvy? Why breake not thunderbolts through the clouds in stead of drops of raine? Why is not frost and snow incessantly up in armes against the Summer? Who heares the thunder and thinkes not of God? Therefore wee may observe, that God never wrought miracle to convince Atheists. The Egyptians were Persecuters, and they were convinced by miracles: the Baalites were Idolaters, and they were convinced by miracles: the Iewes were Apostates, and they were convinced by miracles. To satisfie all these sinners abominable enough, miracles were wrought by Moses, Elias, and Christ. But none to convince Atheists, because Gods ordinary workes convince them. So that as Araham answered the rich Churle, that would have one sent from the dead to his brethren. Luk. 16.31. They have Moses oud the Prophets, if they will not heare them, neither will they bee perswaded though one rose from the dead: these be their bookes. So Paul answers Naturians, if they aske for miracles; Rom. 1.20. By the things that are made, they may understand his eternall power and Godhead. These are their bookes; fairely printed in large Characters, that they may run and read them.

But the chiefe conviction is their owne conscience; there sticke those indeleble letters never to bee rased out. Howsoever in pride of minde they would be different in Paradoxisme from all the world, and fancy philosophicall probabilities of the Trinities un-existence: yet in the inmost recourse of their conscience, they subscribe unto it. The foole hath said in his heart; no foole ever thought in his heart: hee would faine have it so, he cannot beleeve it so: it is an opinion which he suggests to his heart, not which his heart suggests to him. This makes him fearfull to die, and to die fearefully: there could bee no such terrour of the one, or affrightment in the other, if he did not beleeve some kinde of Audite after both. If we should discourse over the ends of all Atheists, we find their deaths drunken, violent, secluded from repentance, but not quitted nor quieted from agonies and extorted confessions of the Deity which they have denyed. Their guilty soules assure them of a sinne hating God, even in the blackest darknesse of their owne contracted ignorance: like the sooty visage, and shady fancies of the night, when they have shut all the windowes, and drawne the curtaines, to keepe out the least gimpse of such a knowledge. It is not possible to pin forth conscience: it may for a while bee shut up, it can never bee shut out. God will either charge it, as Iehu did concerning the brethren of Ahaziah; 2 King. 10.14. Take them alive, and torment them in their mortall daies: make them know there is a God. Or, pursue them dead, as the Papists have dealt with divers Protestants; denying them both Coelum vivis, and Terram motuis; life and buriall; the aire to live in, or, the earth to be buried in. So their conscience shall deny them vitam vivis, for the pangs of it shall take all comfort of life from the living; and mortem mortuis, for this shall not dye with them, but bee their everlasting torture when they are dead. Onely in hell there shall bee no Atheists, they no sooner enter that burning territory, but they shall eternally feele there is a God. O Lord open our eyes, that wee may see thy Majesty: and soften our hearts, that wee may feele thy mercy: and loosen our tongues, that we may confesse thy glory: and direct our waies, that we may come to thy eternall felicity.

Where is the promise of his comming?] This is their Chalenge. So light was the estimate which the Heathen made of their idle and Idoll-gods, and so poore the reputation, either for their majesty or bounty; that they feared not to bestow jests upon them, as upon their fellowes. So it was familiar with them, to tell of Iupiters going a whoring, of his Rapes and Adulteries: nor was this onely the matter of their stories, but the representation of their Theaters, and played on their Stages: where appeared Plura crimina, quàm Numina: so did Ioves Wenching discredite his Thundring. Tully writes the storie of Timeus; that the selfe-same night that Alexander was borne, the Temple of Diana at Ephesus was on fire: and no marvell; for the Mistresse of it was a great way from home; as a Midwife in Macedonia, attending the travaile of Olympias. So they made themselves merrie with their gods and goddesses, as men wont with Tales in Winter-evenings. But still there was an impression in their conscience of an infinite Power, which they durst not play withall, but rather thought on with feare and reverence. Their feare might fancie gods that were not: but the God that was, and is, did worke that feare in them. They wrong the interpretation of Theos, that say, Feare first made gods: Feare did not make God, but God made feare; I meane that feare which is awe and reverence; for the other feare was made by sinne. But God is Theos rather, because the feare of him is engraven in every heart. And after all the wilfull suppressions and desperate stifflings of it, this feare will invade the stoutest soule, and put a trembling into all his joynts. A wicked man sinnes, and no mortall eye seeth him: Why is hee afraid? Why ashamed? Certainely, there is in him a secret approbation of vertue, a condemnation of vice, and reluctation of conscience. Let him doe what he can to smother it, this fire will breake our. Psal. 39.3. While I was musing, the fire burned, and I spake with my tongue. The flame of conscience will burst forth, and speake with a tongue of terror. Particulars.

The comming of God is mentioned: and this is diverse; Legall, Evangelicall, and Iudiciall: all which, Atheists denie. His Legall comming, was principally to the Iewes, not excluding the Gentiles: his Evangelicall comming, was principally to the Gentiles, not debarring the Iewes: his Iudiciall comming, shall be to Iewes and Gentiles, exempting none, but to judge all the world. In his first comming, he was a Commander; in his second, a Saviour; in his last, a Iudge. His first, was to give the Law; his next, to give the Gospel; his third, shall be to require an account of both. The first, ad mundum; the next, in mundum; the last, contra mundum. The first, imperious; the second, gracious; the last, glorious.

1. His comming to give the Law, was majesticall: He would have Israel see, that they had not to doe with an impotent Governour, that is faine to publish his Lawes without noise, in dead Paper: which can more easily enjoyne, than punish; or descry, than execute. Therefore, before he gave them the Law, hee shewes them, that he can command Heaven, Earth, Fire, Aire, in revenge of the breach of that Law. They see all the Elements examples of that obedience, which they should yeeld to their Maker: and cannot but thinke it deadly, to displease such a Law-giver, and violate such dreadfull Statutes. But these Atheists denie this comming, they acknowledge no such Lawes: onely they thinke humane policie invented them, for the generall safetie: and that Homicides, Adulteries, Thefts, and Lies be restrained, it is onely convenient for the State. The very Indians had a more reverend apprehension of the Decalogue, when it was read to them; and considering every Commandement, they professed, there could bee nothing devised more just and equall. As Aeneas Sylvius said of the Christian Law; That it was worthy to be received for the honestie of it, though it had never beene confirmed by miracles. Woe unto those Rebels, that will not allow the Law a power to command them; they shall find it an unanswerable Indictment, to condemne them.

2. His comming to give the Gospel, was humble. As in the Creation, God made man like himselfe, by stamping in him the Image of his owne nature: so in the Redemption, God made himselfe like man, by taking on him the infirmitie of our nature. And what God said by way of derision, concerning Adam; Ecce homo, Gen. 3.22. Behold the man it become as one of us: the same we speake by way of thankefull exultation, concerning God; Ecce Deus, Behold the Lord is become as one of us. His birth was ordinarie, was meane, was meaner than ordinarie: Verbam non poterat fari verbum. The Bread of Life was borne in Bethlem; Aug. by interpretation, the House of Bread: but so poore a house of Bread, that there was scarce any Bread in the house. Hee was made so farre lower than the Angels, that hee was consorted with beasts. At this comming, doe the Atheists scoffe: they thinke, that King Herod had little reason to be troubled at it, and was more fear’d than hurt: and that the wise men, who presented him gifts, were men none of the wisest. Alas, shall they begin their Religion at a Babe in a Manger? And what was his wealth? When he was to pay tribute, he was faine to fish for money: he begged water to drinke: a Loafe and a Fish was his best cheare: hee complained the want of lodging, more than Birds and Foxes: he was wearie, hungrie, thirstie, sleepie, sorrowfull. His owne kindred went about to lay hands on him, thinking he had beene out of his wits. Esa. 53.2. He had no forme nor comelinesse, nor beautie to be desired; but even despised and rejected of men. Such was his esteeme then; and it is no better now, with these Atheists. What, is he their God, that was borne of a woman? The Earth is but a Center to the Heavens, and man or woman but a Point or Center to the Earth: that a Centers Center, the Point of a Point, should containe him that containes all things; they deride, for vainely impossible. They consider not, why he was thus: even because he came to be thus. He suffers enemies to wound him: why, he came to bleed: he lets sinners kill him: why, hee came to be killed for sinners. Heb. 6.6. They crucifie to themselves the Sonne of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. But they now disgrace that Bloud, whereof hereafter they would give a thousand worlds for one drop.

3. His last comming, is to give Iudgement: The two former are past, this is to come: And how should they beleeve the future, that will not receive the former? But they that would not now accept him as a Saviour, shall not then escape him as an Avenger. Then shall they finde another King, that used to cry, Non habemus Regem nisi Caesarem: and they shall see another God, that flatter’d their owne impious soules with, Non habemus Deum nisi Naturam. Their Nolumus hunc regnare, Wee will not have this man raigne over us, passeth now upon earth: but their Nolumus hunc judicare, We will not have this man judge us, Act. 17.31. shall doe no good at the great Assises. Now they laugh at him, but then all the kindreds of the earth shall mourne before him. They had power to condemne him, that had power to condemne them: at last he shall bring this power into act: and as they once said to him; Depart from us, thou despised: so he shall say to them; Depart from me, ye cursed. Matth. 8.34. The Gadarens, after the losse of their Hogges, besought him to depart out of their coasts. They should have argued: This man hath power over men, beasts, devils; it is good having him to our friend; his presence, is our safetie and protection. But they contrariwise inferre: Thus powerfull is hee; it is good he were further off. What miserable and pernicious misconstructions doe vaine men make of God, of divine attributes, and actions? God is omnipotent, able to take infinite vengeance on sinne: Oh, that hee were not. If hee be mercifull, I may sinne: if he be provident, I may be carelesse. I doe evill, and he does not punish me with evill: therefore there is no God, no such matter as his comming. How wittie Sophisters naturall men are, to deceive their owne soules, to rob themselves of a God? Oh Christ, how worthy are they to want thee, that wish to be rid of thee? He hath just cause to be wearie of us, even while we sue to hold him. But when once our wretched unthankfulnesse growes wearie of him; who can pitie us, to be punished with his departure? How righteous will it be for him one day to regest upon these scorners, Depart from me, ye wicked? I did come, and ye would not receive me: I threatned to come againe, and ye would not beleeve me: now I am come againe, and ye shall not escape me.

The necessitie of both the Commings of Christ, would be layd to the conscience of these despisers. For the former:

1. The conscience of every man doth testifie to him, that there is a Rule: which if he followes, he does well, and is at peace: if he transgresse, he finds trouble and secret reprehension, with a dread of punishment. Now there is no man but feeles himselfe a sinner, and is condemned in his owne soule. Against whom hath he sinned? for Nullius timor nullus: this must needs be against that Power which gave that Law. Say, he denyes the Law written; he cannot but expunge the Law engraven. There is no Law made without a penalty upon the breach: this penalty can bee no other than proportionable to the breach: the breach of the Law must be measured according to the Power of the Law-giver: the Law-giver can be no lesse than infinite; and no lesse infinite must be the punishment. Diverse of mens lawes impose death temporall; what other than eternall death can satisfie God? We cannot imagine that God will forgive sinne without satisfaction to his Iustice: not that he cannot, propter defectum potentiae; but that he will not, propter perfectionem Iustitiae. This is a chaine of so infallible dependance, that it admits of no disjunction.

What then, is there no remedy? yes, if we can get one to suffer for us, and to make full payment of our debts, wee shall bee acquitted. Who should that bee? Men or Angells cannot answer for their owne sinnes, but they must needs if they sinne, perish. He that can suffer for them, must be man: he that can escape from those sufferings, and recover his life, must bee God. Such was the necessity of Christs first comming. Rom. 8.3. The Law hath a double righteousnesse; for so Beza reads δικαίωμα, Iuc Legis. One of obedience: this the Law doth rightly challenge, and it hath not the right if it have not obedience. The other is a right to condemne for disobedience: for it is right, they that doe evill, should suffer evill. If Adam had fulfilled the Law, hee should have beene saved by it: the damned fulfill it in Hell, in regard of the curse, but they cannot be saved by it. We must all fulfill it, [vel] in [praecepto] vel in pana. The precepts must be kept, that there may bee place for the promises. If the precepts bee not fulfilled, the curse must bee endured. Heb. 9.22. The curse calls for our blood, and without blood there is no remision. We can doe neither of these by our selves: where then is our safety? Wee have done both these by our Surety. What then shall become of those that deny the comming of this Surety in such was the wonderfull wisedome of God, to execute his Iustice upon Christ, that hee might exercise his mercy towards us. Without infinite satisfaction, his justice could not be appeased: without infinite mercie, wee could not be saved. One Deepe calleth another: the Deepe of his justice, for the Deepe of Christs satisfaction: the Deepe of our miserie, for the Deepe of his mercie. If he had shewed mercie without satisfaction, where had beene his justice? If he had onely laid his justice upon us, where had beene his mercie? Both these must concurre: Mercie and truth must meete together, that righteousnesse and peace might kisse each other.

This is the true way: now cunning Atheist finde out a new way. To grant mercie, and denie justice; this were injurious to God: to grant justice, and denie mercie; this were injurious to thy selfe. There is no way then left, but for the comming of Christ to helpe thee: let not the benefit of that comming fall beside thee. Here let us looke with thankfull admiration, upon that which they loade with derision. Christ suffered for us; not onely causa nostrâ, but vice nostra, in our stead: we should have beene beaten, buffeted, crucified, cursed; he represented our persons, was in our roome. O infinite love! Many desire to represent Kings, and weare those royall honours in their Ambassages: But few desire to represent the persons, and beare the shame of base condemned wretches. There is no suing for this; yet Christ undertooke it: the King of all the world represented the persons of the poorest beggars in the world. The Law requires her right, and her right she hath a Christ hath fulfilled it for us, and we have fulfilled it in Christ. It may threaten us with our continuall failings; but there is a Non obstante, by the goodnesse of our suretie. If the forfeit or mulct be payd for the breach of a penall Statute, the Law can goe no further. Yea, hee that hath Christ, though he have not kept the Law, hath the righteousnesse of the Law. Christ hath endured the sharpest of Gods judgements, which he deserved not; that wee might taste the sweetest of Gods mercies; which wee deserved not. All this happinesse the Infidell loseth: for, Excludit eventum, qui non credit adventum.

But here the Atheist comes in againe with a new quarrell: What need our repentance or obedience; when Christ hath sorrowed, suffered, obeyed, done all for us? When Augustine justified free will against the Maniches, the ignorant would take him for a Pelagian: when hee denied free will to the Pelagians, they would take him for a Maniche: he was neither; but disputed against both the extremes; the one utterly denying it, the other too highly extolling it. So let us not be mistaken in the Diameter: when wee teach that we must sorrow for our sinnes, this denies not Christs suffering for those sinnes. When we say, Christ bore our sorrowes: this exempts not us from our just griefe for our sinnes. Because hee went the way of Thornes, must ours be strawed with Roses? Because hee came to fulfill the Law for us, shall wee never minde any obedience to that Law after his comming? This was the argument of the Gnoctickes: Hee that dyed, that wee should not dye, lookes hee for a requitall? Our teares for his teares? Our blood for his? Non vicem repetit, saith Tertullian: Sed ideo magis doles, quiae non repetit. The Borrower is a Servant to the Leader; Prov. 22.7. and the Receiver to the Giver. Hath hee done so much for us, and shall we deny him any thing that he requires, though it were our lives? But what is it hee would have us to doe? Hee hath beene the punishment of our sinnes, hee would therefore have us cease to sinne. He endured basenesse for us, therefore let us repent of our pride: this hee would have. His mouth was buffered for us, let us hate all blasphemy and evill speeches: this hee would have. Hee hungred and thirsted for us: Shall we surfet upon strong drinke and belly-cheare? This hee would not have. His side was pierced for our sinnes: Shall wee thrust the same speare into the same wound againe? This he would not have, and let us never doe it.

The necessity of his last comming followes upon this: for shall hee give the ••eld both Law and Gospell, and call us to account for neither? Shall hee let his Vineyard to Husbandmen, and never require Rent? The Law and Commandements were the Acts of his Iustice, and they are trangressed. The Gospel and Promises are the Acts of his Mercy, and they are abused. Shall he put up all these indignities, and suffer his Creatures to finish their licentious races with impunity? Why doe men die? Because the Elements decay with age: Is this all? Nay, but why are men afraid to die? Is it onely because nature abhorres dissolution, and they would not cease to bee? Is this all? Wee cannot beleeve it: wee know they feele more than this; even a guilty feare of some succeeding recompence; whereof because their foule soules can have no good expectation, they tremble at the suspition of evill. This is the presage and pralodium of hell approching: that they often cry out on their death-beds, They are damned, when yet the sentence is not come: and The devill, the devill, in their franticke and distracted imaginations; before he can seise on their soules in their dissolutions. So Cardinall Crescentius, a little before his death, was troubled with a blacke Dogge in his chambers. So Spyra-like, they depart desolate and desperate in and into hellish horrours. Thus the Epicures that denied God as the tap-house, preach him at the gal-house: and confesse that in sobriety of spirit, which they oppugned in wantonnesse. They that would not finde out the Lord in his mercies while they live, shall bee sure to bee found out by him in his Iudgements when they are dead. Rev. 6.8. There is a pale Horse and his Riders name is Death, and hell followes him. That pale Horse, death, shall deliver them over to the blacke Horse, Satan; and the blacke Horse shall carry them to the red Horse, the flame-coloured Hell.

Let us eate and drinke, for to morrow we die; say the Atheists: But when they come to die, they still have stomach to meat and drinke: their meat and drinke, is to doe their owne lusts; as Christs was, to doe his Fathers will. Their dayly sustenance they devoure without thankes, not without sinne: But shall the guest take his fare and lodging, and depart, without paying any Shot? Will the Host entertaine strangers in his Inne, and suffer them to pay nothing? Eate and drinke, for to morrow we shall die? One would thinke, it should be Fast and pray, for to morrow we shall die. Eate and drinke, to die? Men eate and drinke, to live. Eate, drinke, and die? Would they be taken away with a full stomach, as we kill beasts when they have most flesh on their backes? Eate and drinke to day, and not die till to morrow? Who gave them assurance for so long? Why not to day? Why not presently, before they can put either meat or drinke into their mouthes? Multa cadunt inter. The wise man considers, he hath no morrow: therefore lookes to himselfe, while it is called To day. Eate, drinke, and die: Well, yeeld this the common condition of all: Yet to doe and suffer all this in a supine and desperate carelesnesse, as it were to spight destinie; this makes up the blasphemie. Die, and there an end? As there is no need of meat and drinke after death, so is there no reckoning to be made for that they have taken? O fooles! Will Nature take her due, and shall not Iudgement exact his tribute? Death is the way of all flesh: the way, it is not the end of all flesh. Very much flesh hath no end but damnation, and that damnation hath no end at all. As it is with a man that eates and drinkes day by day in great quantitie, and yet can neither digest nor egest it, get it neither up nor downe: he must needs expect death for Physicke, that meat and belly both perish together. So he that clogges his soule with the continuall surfets of sinne; and can neither digest them in his conscience, nor egest them by repentance; cannot avoid the Iudgement, which shall destroy both sinne and soule together. The Statutes of righteousnesse they have wholly broken, the remedies of unrighteousnesse they have not taken; what can be their end, but destruction?

The soule dies not with the body: it must therefore got some whither, when it leaves the body. If the soule in particular come to Iudgement, way •ices• not the generall Iudgement come to all? I am loth to mingle Philosophicall Conceits with Divine Cordials, as Water with Wine, lest my perswasions should be flash and dilute; but that I am here to deale with Atheists. All Philosophie (the bruitish Schoole of the Epicure excepted) did acknowledge the soule of man to be no vapour. Not onely the learned Grecians, and civilized Romanes, but even the rudest Scythians, and unletter’d Savages, the many Languages, and sundry Dialects in the world; this hath ever beene the common voice of them all, That soules die not with their bodies. If they die not, extinctively, what becomes of them? Shall the vertuous and vicious soule speed both alike? Whither goe they; good and bad, all to one place? If a beast could argue, hee would abhorre such a Tenet. That there is difference of men, no Atheist ever denyed: they never thought a murderer to be so good a man, as a preserver of life. They distinguish betweene a charitable reliever of the poore, and a bloudie oppressor of them; betwixt him that speakes truth, and the lyar; betweene the chast man, and an adulterer; and say, This is a bad man, that is a good one. Yet looking upon the outward condition of these; too often the vicious flourisheth with riches and honour, whiles the good man goes away with povertie and contempt. What then? Shall the soules of both these fare thus hereafter too? Shall the noble rioter retaine his honour, and the industrious labourer remaine still a beggar? What sense ever concluded so? If then the soule have a being, it must needes change the condition of being: there cannot but be a reward for the just, and a retribution for the unrighteous. It is not possible for the most corrupted heart to thinke, that a soule shall be honoured for villanie, and for honestie be contemned.

Why are good men hated? Why afflicted? Why goe they mourning all the day, eating the bread of sorrow, and mingling their drinke with teares? Why doth not the current of honour and opulencie runne by their doores? Why are they not the Treasure of Princes, the Iewels of Kingdomes, the favourites of all men? What should be denyed them, whom God loves? Be it answered, Nondum tempus: the time is not yet. Pleasure, and joy, and peace, are comming to them; but onely with the comming of Christ. Shall man say to God in the midst of his distresses; Lord, Haccine Iustitia tua, Is this thy Iustice? He will answere; Aug. in Prafas. Psal. 25. O man, Haeccine fides tua, Is this thy faith? Thus argue these Atheists: If God be so wise and just in governing the world, and beare such love to his owne, why doth he suffer them to be so triumphed over? Either he would deliver them, and cannot; or he can, and will not; or he neither will, nor can; or both. If he would, and cannot; then is he impotent, and hath not the power of a God. If he can, and will not; then he is envious, and wants the love of a God. If he neither can, nor will; then is he so farre from being a God, that he comes short of a man. If he both will, and can; why is it not done? We answere, That he both can, and will, and doth deliver his chosen. He can at all times, he will at some times, he doth at the best and fittest times, most seasonable for his owne glory, and our blessednesse. And then they that have denyed and desyed God in their braverie, shall be cast downe to endlesse calamitie: when those despised and distressed soules, that humbly acknowledged him on Earth, shall be acknowledged and glorified by him in Heaven.

They speake of a Promise of his comming: But when comes he? Where is this Promise? Hee said, that hee would Rev. 22.12. come quickly: yet it is fifteene hundred yeares agoe, and hee is not come. Hee spake of Clouds, and Angels, and a Throne: we see none of all these things. The Clouds flie up and downe with the winde, and are as they were at first: Angels we see none: nor any Thrones, but those wherein the Monarchs of the Earth seat themselves. He promised, that the dead shall rise: we never spake with any body that rose from the dead, to confirme us in such an expectation. He promised, that the Heavens and Earth shall be on fire: yet the Earth is as steddy; and the Heavens as faire and cleare, as when he spake it. That the Sunne should be darkened, and the Moone turned to bloud: yet they both give their alternall light, and distinguish day and night with unfailing vicissitude. Hee said, that the Trumpet should sound, and waken all flesh: our sleepes are not yet broken with any such terrible summons. That the Starres should fall: yet still they keepe their stations, motions, and orbes. That 2 Thess. 1.6. &c. he will come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God; recompensing tribulation to them that trouble his children, and rest to them that are troubled. Yet wee are lusty and strong: and as we have followed our fathers, so wee leave our Inheritances to our succeeding posterities. And for those that are troubled, troubled they may be still, for any helpe that we see droppe downe from the Heavens to their comfort. He hath promised to Iudge quicke and dead, yet neither is done: and if the living scape, what will the dead feare; that are insensible? When then is the promise of his comming? Sure all is but the vaine feare of some, and the foolish ungrounded hope of others: for there is no such matter as any future life: Men dye as Beasts, with as full cessation of being: there is neither Iudge, nor Doome, nor Hell, nor Heaven: all are but the inventions of policy, to limit the World to a civill carriage. These be the horrible blasphemies of presumptuous spirits, and ill-flattered soules, Rom. 2.5. ordained to perish in their owne security.

But, why doe they call it a Promise? Not in respect of themselves: alas, they cannot apprehend it without terrour, and a palsey in their joynts. But they reflect this Promise upon the good, who looke for a deliverance and reward in that day. 1 Cor. 15.19. For if in this life onely wee had hope in Christ, wee were of all men most miserable. To us it is a day of Promise, to them a day of commination: to us the end of sorrowes, to them the beginning. Then we looke that God should both wipe away all teares from our eyes, and set their eyes a running with teares for ever. The object of our hope, and of their feare, is the day of universall retribution. Ioh. 5.29. All shall come forth: they that have done good, to the resurrection of Life: they that have done evill, to the resurrection of damnation. Amos 5.18. Woe to them when they desire the day of the Lord: to what end is it for them? The day of the Lord to them is darkenesse, and not light. Esa. 5.19. They say, Let him hasten his worke, that wee may see it, &c. But they shall finde it Zeph. 1.15. a day of wrath, Ioel 2.11. a day of trouble and distresse, a day of desolution and darkenesse. It is a day they will have small joy in. If horror, and amasednesse, and pangs of conscience, and despaire, and vengeance, and rejection from God, and condemning to Hell, can bring them any comfort; much good do’t them with it.

Gods first comming to give the Law, and his last comming to require the Law, have a neere similitude. There, was Lightning darted in their eyes, Thunder roaring in their eares, the Trumpet drowning the Thunder-claps, the voice of God lowder than the Trumpet; clouds enwrapping, smoake ascending, fire flaming, the Mount trembling, Moses quaking, a terror in the Heavens, an uprore in the Elements, palenesse and death in the face of Israel: how wonderfull, how dreadfull was this appearance? Hee delivers his Law in the light of fire, from out of the smoake; to teach them, that he could finde out their closest sinnes. They see fire above them, to represent the fire that should be below them; that they might learne what is due to their sinnes. That they might know, God could waken their securitie, the Thunder and lowder voice of God speakes through their eares to their hearts. That they might see what their hearts should doe, the Earth quakes under them. To assure them that there is no shifting of their appearance, the Angell calls them together. O royall Law, O mightie Law-giver, who can offend thee without terror? Now, if his first comming were so terrible, what shall be his last? If the Law was thus given, how shall it be required? If such were the Proclamation of Gods Statutes, what shall the Sessions be? What heart of Adamant doth not tremble at the resemblance? The Trumpet of the Angell called unto the one; the voice of the Archangell, the Trumpet of God, shall summon us to the other. In that, Mount Sinai onely was on a flame: here, all the world shall burne with fire. In both, there are Clouds, Lightening, Thunders, Trumpets, Fire: onely in this latter, the streame of Fire shall be more potent, patent, violent, dissolving the Heavens, and melting away the Elements, with a noise. Thinke Atheist, what pleasure thou shalt finde in his comming. If God did on such a manner forbid sinne, what is the vengeance hee will inflict upon sinners? If hee were so terrible a Law-giver, what a Iudge shall he appeare? If the deliverie of the Law was little lesse than death, what death shall be the reward of the transgressors of it? It was given in a fire fearefull enough, but shall be required in a fire more fearefull. The fire wherein it was delivered, was but terrifying; the fire wherein it shall be required, is consuming.

To us then, if we be true beleevers, belongs this Promise of his comming. Christs first comming was the Expectation of nations, this next is the Expectation of Christians. Luk. 21.28. Looke up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. Our eyes are still dropping in this valley of teares; but we looke for the gracious beames of that Sunne of mercy that shall dry them up. No woman with child did ever more exactly count her time: no Iew did ever more earnestly wish for the Iubile: no servant so desireth the end of his yeares: no stranger so longs to bee at home: no overladen soule so groneth for ease: no Souldier so heartily contendeth to have his warres determined with conquest: as the Saints expect the Promise of this comming of Iesus Christ. It is the strength of their hopes, the sweet object of their faiths, in the midst of all sorrowes; the comfort of their hearts, the heart of their comforts, the encouragement of their wearied spirits, the life of their encouraged soules; the common clausule, the continuall period and shutting up of their prayers; Come Lord Iesus, come quickly. Amen.

For since the Fathers fell asleepe, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation.] This is their Sentence or Argument. We may thinke it strange, that the Apostle should spend any time or paines in the confuting of Atheists: whom shame, feare, and a thousand witnesses, like gnawing wormes within their brests, have ever from the beginning, and shall to the end of the world, force unto an acknowledgment of the Deity. And that it were more fit, arguments should bee drawne out of the scabberds of Magistrates, that might without reply choake the breath of such execrable impiety: than for reason to dispute that which heaven, earth, Angels, men and devils, all ages, all languages of the world have confessed. And that such inglorious and infamous questions should be left to the Tribunall of the highest Iudge, if there be no Throne upon earth that will determine them: for certainely, they are the children of hell by as proper right as the devill himselfe. And what am I, that like Vzzah, I should stretch out my hand to underprop the Arke, or, offer to uphold the high Throne of the Godhead? Princes will not let those stand in their presence, with whom they are displeased: and alas, My sinnes are ever before me; I am a man of polluted lippes. Yet because there is a generation of men, that have commanded their tongues (for they shall never command their hearts) to speake a blasphemous Lye; men monstrously mis-shapen in the powers of the soule, and transformed from the use of reason: that labour to roote up those rationall Maximes and Principles, which the hand of Nature hath planted in them: and they are Iudg. 5.23. cursed, that helpe not the Lord against his enemies; that doe not arme their pennes and tongues against his Atheisticall contradictors: I must proceed, according to my Theme, not onely to retort their assaults, but to fling new darts in their faces. Yea, I could wish, that those great wits, which spend their time in bandying unnecessarie questions, would let flie upon this Monster, which is the roote that nourisheth all the branches of securitie; and digge up that from the bottome. Let their paines at the Court, and the Crosse, be imployed in weeding up those Diagoriz’d opinions, and remnants; which yet sticke even in such Gardens, as have borne a long time the name of Christians: and tell them, that God hath ordained long since their impious and blasphemous spirits to immortall malediction.

I confesse, that the Champions of God have need of the various and universall Weapons of Learning, for the conviction of these Out-lawes. You will say, the Scripture is sufficient (it is so) to build up the man of God. But what shall we doe contra principia negantem? Vrge Atheists with the Verdict of the Scriptures, you may as well bring them the Historie of Herodotus, or, the Narrations of Lucian. Tell them of Heaven, and Hell, and a Iudge; they count it as a Tale of Cocytus and Phlegeton, and such fabulous inventions of licentious Poets. Therefore, skirmishing with Atheists, we must behave our selves as if we were a converting Gentiles. The confession of Philosophers, the consent of Histories must be observed: they will not be convinced, but with their owne Authors. There is no knowledge, but it is of God: and we dishonour Divinitie, if we take away her handmaids; as a Queene, that is allowed no servants. Logicke, Rhetoricke, Philosophie, Historie, Poetrie, are her waiting-maids; Psal. 45.14. the Virgins that follow her, and as it were helpe to make her readie, in her choise ornaments. When Christ said, You must forsake all, and follow me; he did not meane that wee should forsake all Arts, and follow him. Luke was a Physician, Paul a learned Pharisie: neither of these knowledges did them hurt, in performing their Ministerie. Paul alledged Verses out of Heathen Poets: it was, but by their owne Poets to convince Heathens. The Atheists with nothing but knowne reasons will be refuted: they admit of no reasons, but those that come within the compasse of their five senses. When they heare one talking affectedly, coldly, or absurdly in the Pulpit; alledging, that he speakes from the mouth of God; they make an obloquie of mouth, matter, and all. Indeed wee should not lumber up Scripture; but lay it deliberately and methodically, like Pearle and Gold-lace on a rich garment. If there be any that care not how they speake it, so they have it to speake; they dishonour it. Out it flies from them, East and West, though they lose it in the mis-application; all is nothing, for more they have of it, than they well know what to doe withall. It should be used as the first ground, to build; and the last Seale, to confirme. When it is trivially, and without necessitie, called unto witnesse, it is a kinde of taking the Name of God in vaine. We must gather fruit, not leaves; proofes, not phrases onely out of the Bible. It is the Corner-stone; both the foundation, and closing up of the Building. In warre we use the weapons and engines of all Nations: so no lesse doe we imploy all Arts against the sinnes of all Nations. Scripture must be reserved as the last Volley, to get the victorie. It is the great Ordnance, which must play upon our enemies in the end and chiefe hazard of the fight. All wise Orators keepe their weightiest arguments to the conclusion: otherwise like that people whom they call Hot-shots, they will give a brave on-set, but quaile presently. Against these Porphyrian deriders, let us use all our Art: let Priests pronounce them, and Princes proclaime them, the uncleanest Lepers that ever Sore ranne upon: not onely to be excluded the Host, and to have their habitation alone; but to be exiled the Land, and extermined Nature it selfe, which they so unnaturally strive to annihilate: for they call earthly Princes Kingdomes in question, whiles into question they call the Kingdome of God.

For since the Fathers fell asleepe, &c.] Let us now heare their argument; what they can say against him, that hath said that against them, which shall sticke by them forever. There is, they pretend, the same state and course of things now, that was at the first: no alteration, no innovation. Eccl. 1.9. The thing that hath beene, is that which shall be: and there is no new thing under the Sunne. Day and Night, Winter and Summer, Seeding and Harvest, have their wonted vicissitude: therefore they have stood from all eternitie, and to all eternitie they shall stand • they had no beginning, they shall have no end: there is an everlasting perpetuitie of all things. If wee take their argument in pieces, wee finde three Limbes of this confused Chaine: first, Certitudinem, a constancie or continuance: secondly, Latitudinem, the largenesse of this dreamed abiding, or immutablenesse; All things: thirdly, Longitudinem, the longevitie or space of duration; From the beginning. First, we will examine the strength, or rather weakenesse of these circumstances asunder, and then dissolve them all together.

1. For the Continuance: Constancie is indeed the glory of all goodnesse, the crowne of vertues. It is the incommunicable honour and peculiar of God; Mal. 3.6. Ego Iebovah non mutor: in that Iam. 1.17. Father of Lights there is no variablenesse, nor shadow of turning. Angels and Saints in Heaven have an unchangeable estate; but they are in their owne nature mutable, and are onely preserved by Him that changeth not. Heb. 6.18. He hath shewen to the heires of promise the immutabilitie of his counsell. The not changing of the Heires depends upon the immutabilitie of their Father; whose Decrees, Promises, Acts, are all immutable. But now, hath God given such a priviledge to the world? Whoever found it so constant a friend? Who ever trusted it, and was not deceived by it? But they say, Suppose that an eternall Power made the world; if the cause be eternall, eternall also must be the effect. How senselesse is this reason? For if we say, The world had no beginning, because the Maker had none; wee may as well say, The house must needes be as ancient as the Carpenter. And to alledge, That the world shall have no ending, because God hath none; we may as well say, The Bread shall last as long as the Baker. So senselesse is the reason, That because God is everlasting, therefore he made an everlasting world. If they suppose the world without a Maker, as a house without a builder, that foundation lesse opinion shall anon be refuted.

2. The Latitude, or extent: All things continue statu quo prius. This is manifestly false: for there is a sensible decay, even a visible declination of all things. The alacritie and vigour of the Creature is wonderfully abated; the Earth is dull and barren, in requiting the husbandmans labour; our Springs and Summers are like the children of women after fiftie. The world tooke a fall in his Cradle, as Mephibosheth from his Nurse; and hath pined away ever since. The stature of man is exceedingly lessened, and yet more shortned is his life: wee have neither an equall portion of dayes, nor proportion of bodies with our forefathers. Now that Whole cannot be perpetuall, whose parts be alterable: if a hand or legge be taken from a body, it remaines not integrall, much lesse immortall.

3. For the Longitude: There be three words that come out of their mouthes, and give the Lye to themselves; the Creation, and Beginning, and Sleepe of the Fathers. First, they confesse a Creation: and well are they convinced so to doe. For can there be a world without an Author, or efficient cause? How absurd were these imaginations; that either the world should make it selfe, as if a house could build it selfe: or, that something in the world made the world; that is, some one part of it made the whole: as if the finger of a body, and that before it was a finger, did make the whole body. Something therefore more excellent and noble than the world, did make the world, and this could be nothing but God himselfe. Secondly, they confesse a Beginning; why then should they denie an end? Is not that Power able to dissolve the world, that gave it being? Shall it be harder for the Architect to pull downe the house, than it was to build it? Could not fire destroy that Temple in a day, that was sixe and thirtie yeeres in setting up? But say others; If there was a beginning, and that in time; what businesse had God before the beginning? Perfectissima causa non est otiosa. This is a grosse conception of God: The Father hath not Ioh. 8.29. left me alone, saith our Saviour. Shall Christ not be alone, in respect of his divine conjunction with the Father; and shall it not be alike with the Father, in regard of the Sonne; with the holy Ghost, in respect of both; with each of them, in respect of other? That inseparable unitie of the Trinitie denieth to every Person a possibilitie of being alone; and that unsearchable mysterie of the fruition of his owne glory, is farre above the societie of creatures, Saints, or Angels. Thirdly, they confesse the Sleepe of the Fathers; therefore they cannot denie their waking. They say not, They are dead; as if that were a full cessation: but, They sleepe; to shew their hope of Resurrection. Thus are they convinced with their owne words, that would denie (and shall never be able to doe it heartily) the mortalitie of the worlds condition. They see no change: what change would they see? Before the Deluge, stones did not dance, nor trees flie about the aire; houses did not stand with their foundations upwards, nor the Sunne drop from Heaven: and yet a [floud] of water drowned the world.

Thus much in particular: now let us generally cleare the argument. Naturall fancies are like Glasse; bright, but brittle? Christian Religion is like Gold; rub it, beat it, melt it; it will endure the Test, the Touch, the Hammer, and still shine more orient.

In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth. This is affirmed by Moses, and denied by Machiavel: the first, the Secretarie of God; the other, a Secretarie to the State of Florence: the one taught God to the world, the other filled the world with the Devill: this not of two hundred yeares standing, the other of above three thousand. To which of these should we in reason give the most credite? Moses hath ever beene famous, Machiavel ever infamous. All ages have reverenced Moses: Machiavel hath onely beene affectedly read by a few selfe-condemned reprobates. Satyr. 14. Iuvenal sung of the honour of Moses: Romanas soliti contemnere leges, Iudaicum ediscunt, ac servant, ac metuunt jus, Tradidit arcano quodcunque volumine Moses. Eight Heathens, two renowned Iewes beare witnesse to him, in their Volumes. From his exemplar, the Pagans patterned out their services to their Idoll-gods. His Bookes have been preserved through so many generations, and brought to us, not by our friends, but by our very enemies; the Iewes, that detest us. How can we with equitie, with any equalitie, compare these together? Alas for our times; Ser. de laps. that there should be any such as Cyprian writes of: Hominibus contra Deum credunt, qui Deo contra homines non credunt. They will not beleeve God against men, that beleeve men against God.

We have a cloud of witnesses to second Moses. Thou hast made Heaven, &c. By the word of the Lord were they made, &c. Neh. 9.6. Psal. 33.6. Be it wet or dry, be it passable or be it navigable, be it above or below; this Maker did create it, this Creator doth preserve it, and this Preserver will change it. Looke into their Philosophers and Poets, Hesiod, Ovid; how did they borrow their Chaos from the writings of Moses? Lucretius. Si nulla fuit generalis origo Terrarum & Coeli, semper que aeterus fuere; Cur supra bellum Thebanum & funera Troiae, Non alias alii quoque res cecimere Poetae? So Macrobius confesseth, that beyond Ninus he reades of no notable thing written: and therefore concludes, that both the world had a beginning, and was of small antiquitie. No lesse have they spoken of the worlds ending. Ovid sayes it shall be burned; and that this is the dissolution of it, appointed by destinie; though hee fondly applies it to a Phaeton-fire. So Lucan, of the bodies left unrited at the battell of Pharsalia; Hos Caesar populos si nunc non usserit ignis, uret cum terris. Communis mundo superest rogus. An end presupposeth a beginning, a marring implies a making. Wee cannot denie the knowne beginning of many things. Polydor Virgil hath written a whole Tract de Inventoribus rerum. To Zeno, Socrates, Aristotle, we are beholding for the use of Logicke: we know when they lived. Aristotle was Schoolemaster to Alexander, Plato to Aristotle, Socrates to Plato, some foure hundred yeares before Christ: Zeno was a little beyond them. The Eclipses of the Moone were prodigiously fearefull to the Grecians and Romans: the knowledge of them was made familiar since. The yeare was reduced to the orderly course of the Sunne by Iulius Caesar. Of what antiquity are kingdomes; when Nimrod mentioned by Moses, Gen. 10.8. and Ninus by the Heathen (both which are thought to be one) is held to be the first King? Iosephus observes that the word νόμος, was never used by Homer: Lawes were not knowne; men onely were ruled by the commandement of Princes. Bacchus, say the Ethnickes, wee know Noah was the man, first found out the use of wine. Ceres was canonized for a goddesse, for teaching them the use of corne. As we now have these things in some perfection; so not long since they were rude, and not long before that nothing. Therefore it is false, that all things are the same from the beginning. Yea, if they were not upheld by the Makers providence, they would soone of themselves come to an ending.

The concord of things in discord; the standing fast of the earth under us, the running round of the heaven above us, the due function of the offices of all creatures, like so many Souldiers that make good their places; shewes there is a Generall that governes them. A well-ordered city declares, there is a Prince that rules it; though hee goe not abroad to bee seene. The agreement of the members, that the eyes doe not wrangle with the eares, nor the hands mutine against the feet, is a cleare demonstration that the body is disposed by a soule within. Animam tuam quis videt? Cùm ergo corpus tuum solum videatur, Athanas. Aug. in Psalm. 73. quare non sepeliris? Hee should bee buried that is dead, he is dead that hath no soule, and hee hath no soule (by their reason) if it cannot be seene. Wee know we have a soule by our motion: and why doe we not know, the world hath a soule by his harmony and disposition? Could the heavens move round without a Mover? Will the grind-stone whirle about of it selfe, without a Turner.

Let mee shut up all with this one unanswerable argument, against the Atheisticall spirits that pleade the continuance of all things from the creation without change. How comes it to passe that Christ is worshipped of all nations; his Church and Religion so universally spread? Is not this a change? Was it so from the beginning? Did those famous Monarchies of the Chaldeans, Persians, Grecians, Romans, acknowledge Christ before he came into the world? Hee came not untill the fulnesse of time; and before that fulnesse hee was onely beleeved on in Israel; though hee was called the Expectation of nations. The Gentiles were ignorant of him; and when hee came indeed, both Iewes and Gentiles for the time refused him. Now some soules in all people, kingdomes, and languages adhere to him as their onely Saviour. Is not this a change? What foundation could seeme weaker to flesh and blood, than that confidence should be put in a condemned and crucified man? What Doctrine could be more repugnant to corrupt nature, than that hee taught? For a man Matth. 16.24. to deny himselfe, to take up his Crosse, to love his enemies, to embrace 2 Tim. 3.12. persecution for godlinesse? If honour, pleasure, wealth had beene promised; these might have allured many followers. But when tribulation, sorrow, martyrdome bee the conditions of his service; What but a divine Power could send us after him upon these termes? Nor have blockes and fooles, illiterate Turkes and Saracens, or grosse and stupid Idolaters, beene onely won to him: but Philosophers and the rarest Scholers, men full of all good knowledge. Even these have put their trust in One that was shamefully crucified; and have dyed for him, who was before dead, and laid in a grave. Nor did this onely hold for a while; but sixteene hundred yeares; and shall to the consummation of all things. All the subtilty of Machiavell shall never understand this, nor all the powers of the devill shall ever withstand this. Onely Divinity tells us in one word. Psal. 118.23. This is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. Advertisements.

1. Atheisme is the maine disease of the soule: not onely pestilent to the person in whom it is harboured, but to the whole land where it is permitted. This hath ever been seene and acknowledged by the policy of all nations; that a Deity is to bee worshippped. Act. 17.23. The Athenians had an Altar to the unknowne God: Ignoto Deo, sed Deo. Cicero thus pleads for the State of Rome: What is it that hath made us so famous? Non numero Hispanos, nec robore Gallos, nec calliditate Poenos, nec artibus Graecos, nec native sensu Italos ipsos & Latinos: What then? Sed pietate & religione omnes gentes superavimus. If these common impressions and notions sealed up in every minde of man; that remnant of integrity surviving the fall, sparkles of fire raked up under the ashes; if nature within, and the creature without; Gods visible workes, and our invisible consents; the inward motion of the one, and the outward motion of the other: if all these lights be extinguished in the chambers of their hearts, and they doe wilfully impose on their consciences a burden which they cannot beare, the deniall of Deity: let such condemned spirits ripe and be rotten to perdition: let them now be distracted with insufferable horrours: and at last, let them rise from the sides of the pit, malgre their stout contradictions, at the Iudgement of the great day to receive a deeper potion of vengeance. Ill shall their scoffes prosper with them: when they thinke they have won the greatest prize and praise to their wits in putting downe God, then God shall arise in Iudgement and cast them downe to hell. At the day of their death with conviction, and at the last day with confusion, he shall shew them his terrible frownes; and teach them both that he is, and what he is. All their virulent and miscreant positions shall perish with them in unquenchable flames; those everlasting arguments of that Iustice which they have blasphemed. They have esteemed the Law of God no better than the device of man; and thought it as cheape an offence to contemne the divine Majesty, as humane authority; and to deny the rights of the Godhead, (which they vainely imagine, is but imagined) as their fealty and allegiance to earthly Princes. But they that would stultesere in culpâ, shall bee forced sapere in paenâ: vengeance shall make them wise, whom sinne hath made and left foolish.

2. We doe not forbeare to waken them from their supine and carelesse opinions, wherewith they enchant their owne soules, and infect others. We write against them, wee preach against them, we proclaime threatnings, and threaten punishments, and blow the Trumpets of Gods severe indignation more than seven times about the wals of this Iericho; that their ruine and downefall is at hand. Wee let them know that Psalm. 59.13. God ruleth in Iacob, and unto the ends of the earth. Let them put farre away the evill day; which is never the farther off, yea so much the nearer them for their adjourning: and because the skies doe not fall, nor the last fire flash in their proud faces; beleeve no comming at all. But it shall come soone enough to their cost; and they shall finde with woe, that the Lambe they rejected, shall judge them: the God they denied, shall condemne them; and those malignant spirits whom they never feared, shall torment them, and that for ever. They that would not beleeve a God, shall finde a devill. Matth. 24.48. My Lord delaieth his comming: thus cries the worst servant in the house: (yet it is something that hee grants, hee will come at last.) therefore hee fals to beating his fellowes, to eat and drinke with the drunken. These follow their pleasures, daunce, sing, sport, revell; and Where is the promise of his comming at all? Thus let them live in their sinnes, according to the leading and lusting of their owne corrupted hearts: but they shall finde a stop in the course of the world; and the plummets of nature being downe, she shall stand like a motionlesse clocke: the Sunne shall stay his race, and the Moone no more repaire her decaying shine: their delights shall end their parts, the stage being taken downe, and all these actors turned into hell. Then shall they confesse that his comming was promised, and is performed: and the things that continued so long as from the creation, are now quite altered by the dissolution, as if they had never been. But when the bottomlesse pit hath shut her mouth upon them, this acknowledgement shall be too late; not for Gods glory, but for their owne ease: the doore of mercy being shut against them, despaire and torture seising on them; and those blasphemous tongues that contradicted their Maker, not allowed one drop of water to coole them.

3. The punishment of Atheists should bee severe and exemplary: as the highest indignity that can bee done to God, is to deny his Essence. The poore Leper in Israel was forced to goe with his clothes rent, his head bare, his lips cover’d; and to cry where hee past, I am uncleane. Till better remedy were sound for so opprobious and contagious a disease, I would all Atheists had a rent upon their clothes, a writing on their brests, and a brand on their foreheads; that all beholders might say, An Atheist, an Atheist. Protagoras abderites, because he begun his Booke with a do bt; De diis, neque ut sint, neque ut non sint, habet dicere; was banished out of Athens, and his bookes solemnly burnt to ashes. The same Athenians committed Anaxagoras to prison, and but for Pericles had put him to death, for but writing a booke of the Moones Ecclypses, after that they had received her for a goddesse. Doe wee finde such jealousie over their fained gods in very Athenians; and shall the disparagement of the honour of the One true and ever living God be tolerable among Christians? Wee have read how they have used Paracides in Rome: they sewed them up in a maile of leather, and threw them into the sea: yet so, that neither the water of the sea could soake through, nor other element of nature, Earth, Aire, or Fire, approch unto them. Certainly every creature is too good for him that denies the Creator: nor can they bee farther separated from heaven, or pitched deeper into hell, than they deserve, that would beleeve neither. Yea, they doe mistrust both, whatsoever they pretend; and Tully spake of Metrodorus an Atheist in his time: Nec quemquam vidi, qui magis ea timeret, quae timenda esse negaret. They that make a flout of hell; Affirmant mihi, & tibi, non sibi: noctu, non interdiù: Their mouths tell us so, their hearts doe not tell their mouths so. No hell? if they had as many provinces as Ahasuerus had, they would give an hundred and sixe and twenty of them, to be sure of it.

4. Wee read of Serpents that will never bee charmed, whether with policy or melody. Sure, the consciences of evill men are such Serpents, (and therefore their wounds are called stings of conscience) which can bee over-ruled by no arguments or temptations of Satan, to let goe the sense of a Godhead. You may sooner get a conscience to beleeve all the fables in the Popish Legend, or Turkish Alcoran; than that this universall frame is without a Minde. Prima est haec ultio, quod se Iudice nemo nocens absolvitur. It is not a more sweet friend to the innocent, than to the guilty a terrible foe: a man had better have all the world against him, than his owne conscience. What ailed Iudas? His Master was safe enough in the clutches of his enemies, the Scribes and Pharisies was on his side, the King was not displeased at him, no Law threatned any proceeding against him; his bones were full of marrow, his purse full of money: What should hinder his heart from being full of jollity? Alas, Intra illum, quod contrae illum: his conscience pursues him, from chamber to chamber, from bed to boord, from society to solitarinesse: this Dogge still followes him, and never gives him over, till hee casts away himselfe on his owne galhouse. Ambr. Si Arbitrum non vides, teipsum non vides? Testimonium cordis non vereris?

Indeed, custome of sinne stupefies conscience: and while a man continues alike in his wickednesse, he thinkes the world also continues alike in her stedfastnesse: he dreames of no beginning or end, whether of that or of himselfe. His conscience sleepes like a tame beast within, and he rages like a wild beast abroad. But at last they will change conditions: he shall be the the tame beast, and his conscience the wild, that will prey upon him for ever. Man shall dye, but his conscience cannot: it shall appeare with him, when he is summoned to appeare before the Iudge: and he shall cry out as Ahab, Hast thou found me, O thou mine enemy? As the seale makes an impression on the waxe, discernible to the eye: so the memory of every sinne is engraven, as with the point of a Diamond, on the conscience, Tertul. not to bee blotted out, but by the blood of Iesus Christ. Thy conscience may lose thee, thou canst never lose thy conscience. Obumbrari potest, quia non est Deus: extingui non potest, quia est a Deo. This still troubles them with the solicitous representations of Gods anger: this stops their pillowes with knives and Thornes; this puts Colloquintide into all their banquets; this like a scolding wife fetcheth her husband from Taverns: this so disquieteth their godlesse hearts, that they know not whither their body be more weary of their soule, or their soule of their body. These might dwell peaceably together, while both did reverence their Maker. But when that Iezabel, Atheisme, for the safer maintenance of her whoredomes and witchcrafts, hath renounced this beleefe and service; Conscience comes like Iehu, driving furiously, with What peace? Nulla pax impiis. Then runs the Epicure to his pleasures, carousing cups of Bacchus, sporting with the waiting women of Venus; Pan and Apollo must cheare him with their minstralsies: and what’s all this? Hee was none of the wisest, that being wearied, and lying downe to rest by the way; when his head was somewhat too low, tooke the pitcher that lay by him, and put it under in stead of a pillow: but feeling it too hard, hee be thought himselfe, and stopped it with feathers; thinking then it would be wonderous easie. So vaine and comfortlesse are all worldly joyes, when they are used to mitigate the pangs of conscience: so miserable is the estate of these reprobates: they are not quiet while they live, and they shall never bee quiet when they are dead. But for us that know and professe the One and onely God for ever to bee blessed; let us feare him (without feare) as his adopted sonnes, and obey him (without hypocrisie) as his faithfull servants. So at the great day of his comming to judge the ends of the earth, wee shall receive a happy reward, even the inheritance of his owne Sonne IESVS CHRIST.