how they were form'd in the Womb the fashioning and setting together of the Parts and putting life into them being things infinitely exceeding their power and skill were therefore no part of their care They knew not whether any thing should be conceived or being conceived should ever be brought forth or what it should be Male or Female perfect or imperfect a Man or a Monster wise or foolish alive or dead no more than the Husbandman that casts his Corn into the Furrows takes care how to form its Roots or Blade or knows how it grows or what it will prove at last And now that we are and live we find our selves in the power and at the desposal of another We cannot bring to pass what we will we cannot accomplish our own Designs and Purposes as we would We cannot preserve to our selves our present Possessions We cannot get what we would have nor rid our selves of what we would not have We cannot make the Sun to shine on us nor the Wind to blow upon us nor the Rain to fall where and when we would have it nor our Corn and Grass to grow nor our Cattel to inceease nor our Food when we have it to nourish us We cannot keep our Bodies from sickness lameness pains and decays or make that part of them straight which is crooked or beautiful which is deformed We cannot keep out our fears nor quiet our thoughts nor prevent casualties nor prolong life nor keep away death and corruption What then can we rationally think of our selves but that we are the work and in the Power and under the Government of One who is infinite in Wisdom Power and Goodness who made preserves and disposeth of us and of all things as it pleaseth him And who is that but God He that created the Heavens and stretched them out He that spread forth the Earth and that which cometh out of it He that giveth breath unto the people upon it and spirit to them that walk therein Isa. XLII V. 5. It is certainly known How we men come into the World by generation successively one after another One generation passeth away and another generation cometh but the earth abideth for ever Eccl. I. 4. Is it now possible for any one to conceive that among all the Generations of men that have been there was no first Man or Men at whom these Generations of men first began If there was any first man as no man can conceive but there was had he a beginning or had he no beginning If he had a beginning whence had he it He could not give it himself as we have before seen No other man could give it him for he was the first Did he then spring as a Plant out of the Earth ' â—is too ridiculous a Conceit to come into a rational man's head How then should he have his beginning but from GOD Will any say he had no beginning Then he must say he was eternal and had eternally his being and all his powers in and of himself and if so how came he to die and be no more He who had eternally being and life in himself would he nay could he chuse not to be or to die and to leave behind him Children of so little power and of so short a life and not so much as the least notice among them that they had such a Father Will any think it reasonable to say That there was no first man This only remains to be said by him who would not have a GOD. But this is that which none but a fool can think reasonable Men of sense and reason have ever accounted it most absurd to talk of an infinite succession of things one after another without beginning of a number of things wherein there is no first thing or which had no beginning At this rate an infinite number of Generations are long ago past and an infinite number is the greatest number if there can be such a thing And yet there have been more Generations since that infinite number of them was past and there may be more still and so there is something greater than infinite and a number greater than the greatest No wise man did ever pretend to understand how such a thing could possibly be and so it must pass among the ravings of a doting fool Men who are wont to talk so as that they would be understood or can understand themselves will say That of that great number or those many Generations of men which have been in the World there must necessarily have been some first man or men and that he or they that were first could never have been at all or had any power to propagate others without a Maker And the very same must we say of the whole world of things which are within our view What use can we think the World serves for but for the use of those living Creatures which are in it and more especially of Man For what use is a House but for that of the Inhabitants And it were no less absurd to think that the Heavens and the Earth made Men and other living Creatures than it is to think that the House made the Inhabitants that dwell in it And then if the Inhabitants know and confess that they made not the House as no body but a Fool will think that the House made them so any but a Fool will say some other made the House As then every House is built by some man so he that built all things is GOD Heb. III. 4. Thus all things both without us and within us do naturally lead us to the acknowledgment of a GOD if we will but make use of our Reason and if we will not that 's it which makes us fools GOD hath not left himself without witness in that he doth good and giveth us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness Acts XIV 17. And we may easily perceive if we will think of any thing that He is not far from every one of us for in him we live and move and have our being for we are his off-spring as the Heathen Poets could tell us Acts XVII 27 28. But if any one continue so foolish as not to confess this 't is fit he should be sent to School to the Beasts as Iob XII 7 8 c. Ask the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fowle of the air and they shall tell thee the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee who knoweth not all those that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this in whose hand is the soul of every living thing and the breath of mankind 2. And yet besides the works of Creation and of ordinary Providence it cannot be denied but there are works of an extraordinary Providence to be observed whereby GOD doth yet further discover himself unto us 'T is certain that things do ordinarily keep one natural constant course and order and vary not
Effects of any less Power than GODs and therefore they very rationally concluded that there is a GOD. And this is the Argument which St. Paul hath taught us Rom. I. 19 20. That which may be known of GOD is manifest in them for GOD hath shew'd it unto them For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without excuse That is so much of GOD as may be known by the Light of Nature for with GOD is terrible Majesty touching the Almighty we cannot find him out Job XXXVII 22 23. How little a portion is heard of him Job XXVI 14. But so much as may be known of GOD without Divine and Supernatural Revelation was manifest in or among the very Heathen People for of them St. Paul there speaks And how was it manifest in them Thus GOD himself had shew'd it to them And which way had he done so but by his Works For though GOD is a Being in his own nature invisible and his essential Power and Godhead cannot be seen in themselves yet are they and ever have been from the Creation of the World clearly seen in his Works How are they seen in his Works By the Eye of the Soul or the Understanding they are understood And by what but by the things that are made All the visible Creatures from the highest to the lowest are as so many Books wherein all men have been able to read the Eternal Being and Power of GOD. In short GOD hath left such legible Characters of his Infinite Power and Godhead imprinted on the World and all things therein and hath indued man with such a Faculty of discerning them that whoso makes not this good use of his Understanding to read and learn this from the Creatures is without excuse and a wilfully blind Fool. And this is it whatever the Atheist is pleas'd to fancy to himself as Fools are wont to be very Fanciful that hath in all Ages brought men universally to agree in this belief even as all men who see the clear day light are agreed that the Sun is up although they see it not And this will always be a sufficient proof of a GOD to every one that useth his Reason to consider things and to him that doth not so there can be no rational proof of any thing Now the Works of GOD are either the common Works of Creation and Universal Providence or the rarer Works of Special and Extraordinary Providence and Wise-men have ever been wont by both these to reason themselves into the belief of a GOD. We will at present consider but some few of them 1. Observe the whole and entire frame and Fabrick of the visible World What less can we gather from it but that there is some Infinite Power and Wisdom that contrived this vast Building and set all things thus together in that beautiful curious and useful order wherein we behold them If one see but a House strongly and magnificently built wisely and usefully contrived gloriously and sumptuously adorn'd and furnish'd though he as yet see no man appear in it or about it will he be such a Fool as to say it had no Builder For every House is builded by some man but he that built all things is GOD Heb. III. 4. If one see a Watch or a Clock and observe how artificially all the several parts of it are fashion'd and put together and farther how all the little Wheels though divers of them have several motions of their own do all concur to one constant and regular motion of the Hand or Index though he neither saw it made nor know who made it will he be so foolish as to say it had no maker How much more a Fool must he be who daily beholds the admirable frame of Heaven Earth Sea and Air and all things therein and observes the glorious beauty and splendor the unexpressible variety the wonderful contrivance the vast compass and capacity the regular and constant courses motion and order of them all the ample provision made for every thing agreeable to its nature the mutual service and usefulness of one thing to another and innumerable other tokens of Power Wisdom and Goodness every-where visible and yet after all talks at this rate Though I know not which way these things should come to be as they are yet surely there needed neither Power nor Wisdom nor Goodness to make contrive and order them thus And though I have a very fair and rational account given me in that which we call the Scripture how they come to be thus yet I will not believe it It may be they were always thus of themselves or they happen'd to be thus by chance but surely they had no powerful Maker or wise Contriver He that talk'd thus of a House or a Watch you would think he were mad and shall not he that talks thus of the World and all things therein be a Fool Yet this is it and this is all that the Atheist hath to say 2. Let us come to some particulars and take but a slight view of some of those several sorts of things which we see and daily reap the benefit of and see if we can find any one thing whereof any reasonable account can be given without the belief of a GOD. Let us first lift up our eyes to the Heavens above and observe How the heavens declare the glory of GOD and the firmament sheweth his handy work Psal XIX 1. Lift up your eyes on high and behold who hath created these things that bringeth out their host by number Isa. XL. 26. I even my hand have stretched out the Heavens and all their host have I commanded Isa. XLV 12. What a vast Round do we there see encompassing this world of Creatures Of what a wonderful greatness are those bright Globes of Light which move within it The Sun the Moon and Stars some whereof are certainly known to be many and many times bigger than this whole Globe of Earth and Water whereon we live How fitly are all those glorious and sparkling Lights plac'd in the Firmament for our advantage to afford us both light and warmth and nourishment here below How orderly and constantly do they move to shed abroad their Influences the more equally upon all the Earth and for the right proportioning of our Seasons Were they nearer us they would dazle and blind us instead of enlightning us scorch and burn up instead of warming and cherishing the Earth Were they farther off the Earth would be always frozen and barren and we should die with hunger and cold Did they not move round the lower World their influences could not in any equal proportion be distributed to the several parts of the Earth there would be no certain vicissitudes and orderly returns of Night and Day Spring and Summer Autumn and Winter Much of the World would
in the World than now it doth And therefore there never was more need of a Reformation of mens Lives and Manners than now there is But in vain are all Endeavours to that purpose so long as men do not believe that there is a GOD over them to whom they owe a Duty and are accountable for their whole behaviour Till men be convinced of this tho they may possibly by force be kept from doing some sorts of Evil they can never be Reformed or persuaded to be good But if they may once be throughly convinced of this it may also be hoped That they may be persuaded to account it both their Duty and their Interest to live a godly life and as St. Paul speaks Col. I. 10. To walk worthy of GOD unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work But supposing such Discourses needful yee will some say what need was there of this sceing there are already so many both larger and learneder on the same subject In answer to this I have no more to say but these things First I do very readily and with all due thankfulness both to GOD and the learned Authors acknowledg That there be many both larger and learneder Discourses on this subiect than this is But Secondly even for this very Reason that they are so large and learned they are the less serviceable to that sort of People for whose use this is principally design'd As men of strong Reason and good Learning can make good use of long and learned Discourses and receive much benefit by them So men of weak Understandings and of little or no Learning stand in need of short and plain Discourses such as they can from their necessary Business get time to read and such as reading they are able to Understand For their sake it is that I publish this and therefore have I used as great plainness of Expression in it as possibly I could and yet I am very sure of it no more than is needful to make them understand it No man can deny but such people ought to live Religiously as well as others and therefore ought to be well grounded in the first Principles of Religion And they must be taught in such a way as they are able to learn is we design to teach them any thing and therefore in teaching them we must use both such Arguments and such Language as are not too hard for them or we lose our labour and they all the benefit they should reap by it If this be not enough to excuse me at least for Publishing this Discourse and for Writing it too with so much plainness as if I be not deceiv'd I have done I will only add this That I had rather be blamed for being impertinent by them who either need it not themselves or see not the need that others have of it than bear the rebuke of my own Conscience for not doing what I am verily persuaded to be very needful in the best manner I could do it tho not half so well as another might have done it THE FOLLY OF ATHEISM WE find Wicked men or such as have no Religion by the Holy Ghost himself in Scripture frequently called Fools And how hard soever it may be to make such a fool understand or acknowledg his own Name we are very sure he deserves it because the Spirit of Truth as the Holy Ghost is called Ioh. 16. 13. hath given it him The Man of a wicked Life if he have any thoughts at all of GOD must think either That there is a GOD or That there is none If he thinks That there is a GOD he must needs be a fool for living wickedly and wilfully provoking GOD's Wrath and indignation against himself which he knows himself unable either to withstand or indure If he thinks That thire is no GOD the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David hath told us twice over for our better assurance That he is a fool for that The fool saith he hath said in his heart There is no GOD Psal. 14. 1. 53. 1 And indeed the truth of what He hath told us is as clear to every one who hath Reason and will use it to any good purpose as the Light it self can be to him who hath and will make use of his sight To make this plain to the meanest capacity is my present business and to this end in the first place I desire that these three things may be consider'd in the words of the Holy Ghost which I say contain so clear a Truth 1. What is said There is no GOD. 2. How 't is said In his heart 3. Who hath said it The fool hath said 1. That which is said is this There is no GOD. Doth he who saith this understand what he saith If he do not he is a fool for saying he knows not what Doth he know what the word GOD signifies If he do not he saith he knows not what GOD is He that made the World and all things therein the LORD of Heaven and Earth who giveth to all life and breath and all things in whom we live and move and have our being Acts 17. 24 25 28. This is that which all the World hath ever meant by this word GOD The First of all Beings who is of himself from all Eternity without beginning which gave being to all things that ever were and in which as in the first Fountain is all Being and Life and Power and Wisdom and Goodness Of whom and through whom and to whom are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11. 36. This then is it which is said Tho there be a World yet it had no Maker As much as to say Tho' there be a stately a useful a richly furnished and wisely contrived House yet it had no Builder Tho' there be many things yet was there no first Cause of their Being Tho' all things are disposed in a very wonderful wise order yet was there no wise Orderer of them We Men who were not always came into this World no body knows how We are provided for here no body knows by whom We are dayly going hence no body knows whither We have no Maker to whom we owe our being no Owner whose we are no Preserver whom we are to thank for any thing no LORD or Governour whom we are to obey to whom we must be accountable whose favour or displeasure we need to regard We may do what we will with our selves and all we can to any other whether it be good or hurt We may get whatever we can by any means for our selves and from others we may do what we will with it when we have got it All Religion is a vain thing and Civil Government is but a crafty contrivance of Men. We are under no Laws but such as we please to make to our selves Who is Lord over us Psal. 12. 4. This is it that is said in saying There is no GOD. And surely there does
GOD the Atheist cannot deny that And we all know by experience That all men are not very apt in matters of so weighty concernment to be of one opinion where the thing is not very obvious to Sense or Reason The Atheist knows this too And yet rather than it shall be thought that it is so agreeable to Reason that men cannot but generally consent in it without seeming enemies to Reason the Atheist will again set his Fancy a-work to imagine what else may be And what has he now hit upon Why It may be the whole World has been always deceivâ—d by somebody he knows not by whom into the belief of a GOD. It is an endless thing to answer Dreams a Sick-man's Ravings or a Fool 's Fancies However let it be considered 1. What is already said That the Atheist cannot pretend to know what he saith to be true but saith only It may be so for ought he knows And then for us to say It may not be so for ought he knows is answer enough to all he has said and to prove him a Fool too for saying it For if it either may be or may not be so for ought he knows he 's a Fool for venturing his Soul upon its being so The World is now some Hundreds above Five Thousand Years old and no man in this long tract of time could ever yet discover this Forgery here imagined No man could ever find out who it was that first set abroach this Opinion or in what Age or Part of the World it first began or indeed where at any time it was not or that ever there was a time when it was not the Universal Opinion of Mankind It is as old as is the memory of Man upon the Earth for the very first Man that has been heard of in the World was of this opinion And whatever History gives us any account of Men since the appearance of the First man assures us withal That those men did own a GOD. Yea we find not only that it was ever the opinion of the anciently-known Parts of the World but also of those very lately-discover'd parts of it which have had for many Thousands of Years as far as we can understand no manner of Correspondence with the rest of Mankind So that if this Opinion was propagated both to them and us by Tradition then This Tradition can hardly have any later date than that of the Universal Flood in the days of Noah about Four thousand Years ago 2. Think therefore if it be not much more likely That this Belief was at first taught the World by GOD himself than by any such Cunning man as the Atheist dreams of It began in the very first man that we have had any notice of it hath continued ever since through all Generations of men that we have heard of in all parts of the world And is it not then most likely that it was taught the First man by GOD himself There is no difficulty in conceiving this and we have as good evidence as we can desire that it was so indeed But we have no manner of Evidence at all that it was an Invention of some later man nor is it easily conceivable how it should be so For 3. It is not easie to imagine how that man whoever the Athâ—ist would have him to be should persuade all those who had always lived without any thoughts of a GOD so generally to believe him He or a few more with him could not be of Power enough to compel all men by force into this belief Force indeed may compel men to make a shew of believing what they believe not but to believe indeed what men can see no reason for believing no Force in the world can compel men But that men should universally be compelled so much as to make a shew of believing what they believed not by the power of some one or a few men is a thing altogether incredible If then as the Atheist would have it any one or some few men did at first persuaâ—e the world into this belief which it had not before and which considering the corruption of men we may be sure it had no mind to entertain he must needs do it by making the thing propounded to their belief appear to them very reasonable For First Tho some silly and unconsidering people might easily be deceived by men of â—raft and Subtilt yet we cannot suppose all men to have been so simple and inconsiderate And 't is well known that the most Kâ—owing Learned and Wise have ever been of this belief and therefore it must be Reason that could persuade them to it Secondly Tho the men of some one Age had been so simple as to be imposed upon by a Fallacy or Deceit yet had no age after it the Wit to find it out Why could no Witty Atheist with all his stock of Reason and Learning which he is wont to brag on discover the Fallacy and undeceive the world again Certainly there have been in some Ages of the world since this Opinion first came in men of good Sense and a competent Understanding to know Reason when they hear it Why then has no Atheist all this while by his better Reasons convinced at least the more Understanding part of mankind of this Error which he supposeth them to have been led into Thirdly Men are generally so much in love with wickedness that First They must have been very Weighty Reasons that could persuade any considerable number to believe a GOD And Secondly Very Weak Reasons could they but find any at all may seem enough to persuade them There is no GOD. There is nothing in the world more unwelcome to a wicked man than any talk of a GOD. To be bid to believe that there is one by whose holy and strict Laws he is to be ruled in all his thoughts words and deeds one who is every where present with him observing his whole behaviour and keeping an exact Register of all his sins one who will call him to an account and will punish him for all his wickedness this goes exceedingly against the hair 'T is this that fills his Soul with fears and troubles his mind with sad thoughts and marrs his frothy mirth and spoils his sinful pleasures and afrights him from his wicked designs and will not let him quierly have his own will nor allow him to humour himself and make much of his flesh This bridles his appetite restrains his lusts crosses his natural inclinations lays a bar in the way of his worldly interests cuts him short in his desired liberties And because of all this he would be glad in his heart that any one could assure him That there is no GOD. Hence it appears That the Atheist hath all the advantages on his side that he can desire to enable him to convince men of this Error if it be one By reason of their corruption men are very ready to hearken to him and
be useless through too much cold and darkness or excess of heat How regular even and constant are their motions always finish'd exactly in the same space of time and returning to the same points They have never in the least varied them for so many Ages whether it be their yearly monthly or daily courses Nor is one year or one day in any year ever one minute either longer or shorter than another year or another day at the same time of another year From such Observations as these even the wise Heathens such us Cicero Plutarch and the rest rationally concluded that there must needs be a GOD. Yea says Cicero Who would call him a Man who when he sees the Motions of Heaven so certain the Orders of the Stars so setled and all things so connected among themselves c. should yet deny that there is reason in them or say this were done by chance when by no understanding we are able to conceive with how great wisdom these things are govern'd Yea What can be so plain and clear saith he when we look up to Heaven and view the Celestial Bodies as that there is some GOD of most excellent understanding whereby these things are ordered Let us now look down upon this great body of Earth and Water below and observe how it hangs like a little round Ball in the midst of the thin Air incompassing it round about notwithstanding its prodigious bulk and weight and all that huge load of things continually upon it Yet as the Psalmist saith Psal. LXXVIII 69 GOD hath established it for ever And Psal. CIV 5. He hath laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be moved for ever See it incircled about with Water as with a Girdle the Seas as it were continually roaring against it and threatning to overflow and swallow it up And who but GOD can we think hath set a bound that they may not pass over that they turn not again to cover the earth Psal. CIV 9. He ruleth the raging of the Sea when the waves thereof arise he stilleth them Psal. LXXXIX 9. He hath said Hitherto shalt thou come but no farther and here shall thy proud waves be stay'd Iob XXXVIII 11. Observe how both Earth and Water are stock'd and plentifully furnished with all sorts of things which are useful for the service of men With Stones Metals and Minerals of all sorts for building fire and many other necessary uses with Herbs and Plants and Fruits Fishes Fowls and Cattel and all things needful for the labour and service of man for his Food and Rayment for his Physick and Delight and Recreation and all in the greatest plenty and variety How many thousand sorts of Herbs Shrubs Trees and Flowers find we on the Earth How many learned Volumes are filled with the vertues of them How admirably is every one of these form'd and contrived with Roots whereby they are fasten'd in the Earth and suck in proper nourishment from it with Veins to convey that nourishment into all the many Branches Leaves and Fruit with Bark and Rind to guard from the violence of both heat and cold with Husks and Shells to cherish the Fruit and Seed and Leaves to defend the same unto perfect ripeness and with Seed for a new propagation How doth the same kind of Seed always produce the very same kind of Plant and often with a most wonderful increase of its Fruit especially in such of them as are most necessary as in Corn for Bread and Fruits for food of all sorts How do the same kind of Plants come up in the same Season of the year of the same vertue of the same form and figure both in the Branches Leaves Fruits and Flowers What abundance of various Living Creatures breed daily and feed in the Earth and Water and fly in the open Air And how are they all fitted for their several Elements Fishes with fins to swim Birds with wings to fly and other things with feet to walk How aptly are all things furnished with Instruments of sense and motion nourishment generation and defence What one part about them or within them is superfluous or useless or could be well spared And how conveniently are they all set and placed and united together for their several uses The curious and wise contrivance of the meanest Creature the fine contexture of the little body of any small Insect as of a Fly or a Spider hath been enough to exercise the greatest Wits and to fill whole Books with the wonders of them and yet one half of them is not discover'd Each Animal great and small is indued with such Powers and Faculties as are necessary for its own sustenance and preservation whilst it lives and for the propagation of its kind after it hath a care of its Young-ones and provides for them teaches them to shift for themselves and then leaves them to do so Every thing carefully shuns what 's hurtful to it and picks and chuses what 's proper for it Whence now comes all this From blind chance It may be some blind Fool may think so but 't is certain he is a Fool for thinking so Did Stones and Timber and all other materials ever jump by Chance into a stately House Did the Letter-stamps in the Printer's boxes ever yet save both the Writer and Printer their labour and hit so together by Chance as to make a Learned Book or a Wise Discourse Could things in the world have been contrived wiselier or more fitly to all ends and purposes than they are And could things be wisely contrived without a Wise Contriver If Chance which is indeed nothing at all could produce a thing once or twice which yet is impossible can any be so foolish as to think it could be the mother of constant Order To say That all things are produced and preserved constantly in one regular Course and Order by Chance is a Contradiction that can fit the mouth of a Fool only Observe we next how all things in the world do visibly serve and work together for some wise end and purpose and then consider what should guide and direct them all in working to that end 'T is easie for any one to see That most of the Creatures are such as are exceeding useful and necessary and the world would be an inconvenient place without them and a very confused and dangerous place too if things in it did not act as they do And tho it may be some few things we may be able to name the necessity use and goodness whereof we cannot yet discern yet have we reason to impute this to our Ignorance or it may be more to our Negligence and Sloth and Inadvertency It is certain there be many things which people are apt to think vain yea hurtful which yet Industrious and Learned men who study Nature have found to be of special Use and Virtue Not a Toad or a Spider or any poisonous and venomous thing but the Skilful
know how to make good use of it and find that it could not well be wanting And we may well presume as much of other things the use whereof we are not yet acquainted with They may serve to suck out and carry away some of those malignant humours and qualities which might infect the Food we feed on or Air we breathe in or to set off the Worth the Beauty and the Usefulness of other things with the greater advantage that we may take the more notice of them and be more thankful for them Or they may be if not immediately useful to us yet very needful to some or other of those many creatures which are immediately serviceable to us However they serve to exercise our Industry and Care and to let us see GOD's Providence over us in keeping us from the hurt they might do us But that which we should more especially observe is That a very great many things which are without Reason and Understanding or so much as Sense in themselves do yet work together for the good and preservation of one another and of the whole World in as good Order as tho they had a Rule to go by and Understanding to be guided by it and sate in Consultation how to do the best for the common good So that what Man doth in this kind by the help of Reason They all do much more constantly and unerringly without it The Heavens very orderly and duly shed abroad their influence of Light and Heat to make the Earth both fruitful and pleasant to direct sustain and cherish both man and beast upon it In them hath GOD set a tabernacle for the sun which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race His going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof Psal. XIX 4 5 6. The earth yields its fruits of every sort in their due seasons and brings forth a proper sort of food for every thing that live upon it He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle and herb for the service of man that he may bring forth food out of the earth and wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oil to make his face to shine and bread which strengthneth man's heart Psal. CIV 14 15. The Waters contentedly keep their Channels and Bounds both that there may be a sufficient quantity of them together to make a fit habitation for all the living things which can live no where else and to leave dry land enough for other creatures to live upon And because the creatures of the earth cannot subsist without a sufficiency of Moisture therefore the waters go up by the mountains they go down by the valleys unto the place which GOD hath founded for them he sends the springs into the valleys which run among the hills they give drink to every beast of the field the wild asses quench their thirst Psal. CIV 8 10 11. And that all the earth may be refresh'd and have moisture enough to give juice to Herbs and Trees these Waters not only send forth Springs and Rivers but abundance of Vapours which in the Air thicken into Clouds and are dissolved again into seasonable showers scattered over the face of the earth He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds and the cloud is not rent under them Job XXVI 8. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth Psalm CXXXV 7. He maketh small the drops of waters they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly Job XXXVI 27 28. He makes the earth soft with showers his paths drop fatness they drop upon the pastures of the wilderness Psal. LXV 10 11 12. We cannot but observe several sorts of Earth fitted for several sorts of Plants and Grain and several sorts of Plants and Grain suited to the Natures and Palates of several sorts of Living Creatures and several sorts of Natures and Palates in living creatures whereby it comes to pass that one sort delights in and is nourished with that which another sort takes no delight in and cannot be nourished with but perfectly hates and shuns as poisonous or hurtful to it And hence it is that nothing is lost or is in vain but what one refuseth another chuseth and hence there is enough for all and there needs be no strife or contention about any thing for as there is enough for all so is there Variety for each one We see yet farther what provision is made in Nature for the safety and defence of everything And how every thing naturally without teaching endeavours to preserve and defend it self One has Horns another Hoofs another has Fangs or long Teeth and none of these needs be taught how to use his natural Weapons And such as have no such Natural weapons have either Reason to invent artificial ones as men or some other way of saving themselves as Birds have Wings to flye for it other things have swiftness of foot to run for it even Moles and Worms have a wonderful faculty of speeding into the earth to hide themselves In the cedars the birds make their nests the fir-trees are a house for the stork The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats and the rocks for the conies Psal. CIV 17 18. Young things no sooner fall from their dams but they seek for milk and find it without a guide The little Lamb runs to the pap immediately which the little Infant cannot do Why The Ewe wants wit to direct the Lamb but the Mother knows how to direct her Child Birds chuse out the most secret places for their nests and make them with so much curiosity as man's art cannot imitate The curious works of the little Bee or Silk-worm is a very amazing thing to consider The industry and providence of the Ant and the wonders that the Spider works are matters of admiration to us 'T would be endless to mention and indeed impossible for man to discover one half of the wonderful things in nature And he that can yet imagine that all these things are by Chance and that there is no Superior Power and Wisdom that governs all things and directs them in their several Operations must needs be more foolish than any beast Once again Let us consider of what kind of Ingredients this World and the things therein do consist or are compounded The Elements of it Fire Air Earth and Water are of contrary and mutually destructive Natures Their chief Qualities are Heat and Cold Moisture and Dryness and what things can be more opposite to one another All things consist of these things and how come they to be be so evenly temper'd and blended in such a just proportion as to agree peaceably together in the same body Again most things that we know in the world last but for a while
from it As GOD commanded and they were created so he hath established them for ever and ever he hath made a decree which shall not pass Psal. CXLVIII 5 6. They continue this day according to his ordinance Psal. CXIX 91. Now as the constant orderly course of all things in nature shews that there is an Infinite Wisdom and Power that put them into this order and fixed them in this course keeping and continuing them ordinarily in it So when sometimes and upon very remarkable occasions this ordinary course of Nature is changed and things are done above the power and quite contrary to the course of Nature and moreover when the wisest counsels and most hopeful endeavours and the most likely means such as rarely fail and in all appearance and reason should succeed well are all on a sudden blasted and quite disappointed and not only so but produce the quite contrary to that for which they were design'd and all this by reason of some invisible power which no â—an can discern or by such weak opposition as none could imagine likely to prevail What can we think less but that there is an over-ruling Providence of GOD who alway holds the Rains in his own hands and doth whatsoever he will both in Heaven and in Earth It is easie to observe that when Wickedness is grown up to a very extraordinary heighth in a Nation or Kingdom though that Nation abounds in Policy and Strength and in all things that seem to promise success and persuade to security yet all on a sudden when there seems least cause of fear by some extraordinary unlook'd for Judgment it is brought to utter ruine and destruction And on the other hand When a good and religious People are oppress'd by Tyrants and assaulted by most potent Enemies and hemm'd in on all sides with seemingly inevitable dangers so as they sink into despair and look for nothing but being swallow'd up of those who hate them all on a sudden when they could see no reason to hope for any such thing the threatning Cloud flies over them and rains down vengeance on their Enemies and the Sun shines forth on them brighter than ever Who can conclude less than that the hand of GOD is in all this Now both Histories and Experience have furnished us with Examples of such thiâ—gs as these and he must be of a very obstinate humour that is not convinced by them How easie especially is it to observe in the sacred History of the Bible GOD's wonderful and extraordinary both Iudgments and Mercies both towards whole Nations and also private Persons and Families Enough there is of this kind to assure us That 't is GOD that changeth the times and the seasons who removeth Kings and setteth up Kings Dan. II. 21. That against him there is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel Prov. XXI 30. That he turneth rivers into a wilderness and water-springs into a dry ground a fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein He turneth the wilderness into a standing water and dry ground into water-springs and there he maketh the hungry to dwell that they may prepare a City for habitation Psal. CVII 33 c. He brought in a flood upon the world of the ungodly â—nd saved Noah the preacher of righteousness He turned the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes and deliver'd just Lot 2 Pet. II. 5 6 7. He shew'd his signs and his wonders in the land of Egypt and brought forth his people Psal. CV 27. He led them through the depths of the sea and drowned their enemies The earth open'd and swallow'd Dathan and covered the Congregation of Abiram A fire was kindled in their company the flame burnt up the wicked Psal. CVI. 9 c. The Sun stood still and the Moon staid until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies The Sun stood still in the midst of heaven and hasted not to go down about a whole day Josh. X. 13. The Walls of the City Ierico fell down when at Ioshuah's command the People shouted Iosh. VI. 20. The Angel of the LORD went out and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand 2 Kings 19. 35. What should I say more but as the Apostle Heb. XI 32. The time would fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Sampson and of Iephtha of David also and Samuel and of the Prophets Who through faith subdued kingdoms obtained promises stopp'd the mouths of Lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in fight turn'd to flight the Armies of the Aliens In a word The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Psal. IX 16. So that a man shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily he is a GOD that judgeth in the earth Psal. LVIII 11. And now after all this I hope it is abundantly manifest that the Atheist being confident that there is no GOD makes himself confident in a matter wherein all the reason in the world is against him and against all the Evidences that can be given of what he denies how true soever it be It cannot therefore be thought needful any otherwise than thus to shew that he hath no reason at all for his confidence For when all reason appears against one's Opinion 't is most certain there can be no reason for it All that he can say for himself is but this That there appear to him some Difficulties in the Belief of a GOD which he cannot conquer And doth he not meet with as many and as unconquerable difficulties in the denying of a GOD If he do not 't is only because he hath no mind to see them for I am sure all the wisest men have met with such But if it be as the Atheist pretends more difficult to believe that there is a GOD than to believe there is none or than barely not to believe there is how comes it to pass that the generality of mankind hath always believ'd it How is it that nothing seems more natural and easie to most men than to believe it and nothing more hard and against Nature than to conceive how it should be otherwise Why hath no Atheist by propounding and demonstrating these Difficulties been able hitherto to dissuade any considerable number of men from believing this Can the Atheist give any rational account how this world could be as it is or how he himself came to be what he is if there be no GOD If he can why hath he not in so many Ages of the world let men see that he can Why have so few receiv'd any satisfaction from what he hath said to that purpose Surely it must be because men find many more Difficulties in believing that he speaks reason or in perceiving that he gives any reasonable account of things
of his Hands and had never been any thing had he not been pleas'd to give us a being How wise how rich how great soever we now are or seem to the eyes of men we have it all even as far as our very Being of GOD's free gift and he can whenever he pleaseth deprive us of all again He made all things of nothing and therefore all things are nothing in comparison of him What is the clay in the hand of the Potter who can do with it what he will And how much less than that is man in the hand of GOD The Potter can form the clay into a new shape or cast it away and trample on it but he neither gave it a being nor can take away it 's being from it But GOD gave us and all things our very being look therefore how much nothing is less than all things so much are the best of men less than GOD we being all originally nothing Say then with the Psalmist LORD what is man that thou takest knowledg of him Or the son of man that thou makest account of him Man is like to vanity his days are as a shadow that passeth away Psal. CXLIV 3 4. Behold even to the moon and it shineth not yea the stars are not pure in his sight How much less man that is a worm and the son of man which is a worm Job XXV 5 6. All nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity Isa. XL. 17. Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity Psal. XXXIX 5. And when ever GOD rebukes him he makes his beauty to consume away like a moth v. 11. Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lie to be laid in the balance they are altogether lighter than vanity Psalm LXII 9. And shall such a thing as man be proud Can man seem any thing in his own eyes when he thinks upon GOD Alas what cannot he do with us who with a word made all things of nothing What can we do either against him or without him without whom we cannot one moment continue in being 2. If GOD be the Maker of us and of all things then is it past all dispute that both we and all things are His and that we cannot have the least right to our selves and therefore none to any thing else but what he is pleased to allow us Nothing could make him so absolute a right in and over us to use and dispose us at pleasure as this That he made us of nothing We therefore and all things are absolutely his own and being so 't is his indisputable right to order and dispose of every thing as it shall seem good to him to place us where he will give us what allowance he will assign us what Condition he will and put us to what Use and Service it pleaseth him Know ye that the LORD he is GOD it is he that bath made us and not we our selves we are his people and the sheep of his pasture Psal. C. 3. Therefore first It must needs be our Duty most humbly to acknowledg GOD's absolute right in and to us and all things and in a due acknowledgment of the same to yield up our selves and all things most freely and without any grudging to be disposed of by him according to his own Will and Pleasure We must leave it wholly to GOD to use his right as he pleaseth and to do what he will with his own knowing assuredly that whatsoever he doth with us or any other thing he doth but what he may do and can do us no wrong Yea he always doth what 's best and fittest to be done because he is of infinite Wisdom and Goodness Whatever therefore is come to pass or shall come to pass in the world whatever hath befallen or shall befal us it is our duty to submit to it and to set our hearts at rest about it remembring that GOD is always doing what best becomes him to do and permitting to be done what is most proper to be done He doth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him What doest thou Dan. IV. 35. What are we that we should concern our selves any farther with GOD's Doings whatever they be than to admire his Wisdom in them The posture of Soul wherein we should always be as best becoming us is that of a most humble and willing Resignation of our selves and all our concerns unto his ordering every one saying after our most blessed JESUS Not as I will but as thou wilt Mat. XXVI 39. and v. 42. Thy will be done Secondly We are to account it our duty in all that we have or do so to behave our selves as becometh those who have nothing of their own neither are their own but must own both themselves and all they have to be his who made them We must not therefore take to our selves any other Liberty in any thing than what GOD gives us We must not make so bold with his right as to do what we have a mind to do with our selves or any thing else but enquire first what he gives us leave to do GOD is pleased to allow us as much liberty in all things as may do us good and hath freely bestow'd his good Creatures upon us so far as they may be serviceable to us in our serving of him But as we have them of his gift so hath he given them upon such terms and conditions as pleased him and upon no other terms we are to aceount them ours Together with them he has given us Laws and Rules to be careful ly observed by us in the use of them It were very absurd for us to think any thing so ours that we may use it to GOD's Dishonour or to hurt our selves or others with what we have Our Meat we have for Nourishment not for Gluttony our Drink for Refreshment not for Drunkenness our Cloaths for a Decent and Warm covering not for Pride Our Wit our Strength our Wealth and all things to do good with but not to help or incourage us to hurt any one All things we possess are our Master's goods and we our selves are his Servants No man ought to say I may do what I will with mine own for nothing is so our own as that we are sole or absolute Owners of it As GOD is to be thank'd for the use and benefit of all so is he also to be consulted and obey'd in the use of all For the earth is the LORD's and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein Psalm XXIV 1. Thirdly it must needs be our duty not to repine or murmur not to be fretful and impatient but to be content and satisfied whatever comes to pass Do evil doers and such as we think deserve worst at the hands of GOD flourish