yet the Lord is gracious and mercifull and will pardon them the Covenant of Grace covers great sins as the sea can cover a mountain as wel as a mole-hill so the Covenant of Grace can pardon mountainous sins as well as small ones And again the Covenant of Grace does accept of weak and imperfect duties nay those very duties which wicked men doe perform though they be more for the matter of them then ours are yet by vertue of the Covenant of Grace the Lord does accept of ours and will not accept of theirs as in Prov. 15. 8. the place that I quoted before The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight a sacrifice is a great deal more costly then a prayer and yet the Lord will accept of a poore pennilesse prayer coming from a godly man when he will reject a costly Sacrifice from a wicked man God will accept of a cup of cold water from one in Covenant with him when he will not accept of 10000 rivers of oile from a wicked man he will pardon your great sins and accept of your weak services indeed were you under a Covenant of works that would require perfect obedience but being under a Covenant of grace the Lord accepts of sincere though it be imperfect obedience and thus I have done with the third part of mans misery being strangers to the Covenant of grace SERMON XI EPHES. 2. 12. Having no hope WEE come now to fall upon the fourth part of an unconverted mans misery which you will think to be a very strange one that he is without hope while these Ephesians were in a state of Gentilism unconverted to the Faith of Christ they were without hope the reason of it was because they were without Christ who is the way the truth and the life there is no other way to heaven but onely by Jesus Christ and seeing they were out of the way to heaven they must needs be without any hopes of coming to heaven it was the first branch of their misery in being without Christ that exposed them and made them lyable to all the rest because they were without Christ therefore they were aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel therefore they were strangers to the Covenant of Promise and without hope and without God in the World Object Ob. But here some will be ready to say How can this be that the Apostle should say they were without hope when were it not for hope the heart would break and therefore it is not possible they should be without hope Answ I answer it is true they had a hope but it was a vain hope an ungrounded and a deluding hope and this kinde of hope is no better then no hope at all so that the Apostle might well say they had no hope that is no good nor well grounded hope for heaven they had onely a presumptuous hope such a hope as would make them ashamed in the latter end they had only the hope of the hypocrite that shall perish and therefore when the Apostle sayes that these Ephesians during their unregeneracy were without hope his meaning is that they were without any wel grounded hopes for heaven they had no Scripture grounds to bottome or build any hopes upon that God would bring them to heaven this is a very sad and dreadfull point I am now upon in shewing you this part of mans misery without hope the Observation I shall draw out from hence shall be this Doctr. That all men during the state of their unregeneracy are without any true or well grounded hopes of heaven In the handling of this I shall first prove it in the generall and then improve it first to prove it an unconverted mans condition in reference to his hopes for heaven is just like Pauls and those Mariners that were with him in the ship sailing towards Rome Act. 27. 20. when neither Sun nor Stars appeared but the winde and waves did beat upon the ship insomuch that all the hopes they had of being saved were quite taken away so it is just your case that are without Jesus Christ there is neither Sun nor Star does shine upon you if Christ does not shine upon you you are like Paul and the other Mariners in the ship all hopes of your being saved is quite taken away from you I shall confirm this truth to you by three or four demonstrations that a wicked man is without any hopes for heaven Reas 1 1. An unregene rate man must needs be without hope because he is without Christ who is the foundation of a christians hope Wherefore remember sayes the Apostle that at that time ye were without Christ and therefore he tels them afterward that they were without hope in Tit. 2. 2. Christ is there called our hope Christ is that person in and upon whom we are to build all our hopes for heaven and therefore he is called our hope and this is the meaning of that expression Christ in you the hope of glory intimating that you cannot hope for glory but in and through Jesus Christ that man that is a Christlesse man must needs be a hopelesse man that is the first demonstration Reas 2 2. A man without Christ must needes be without hope because he is without a title to any promise of life and salvation which is the onely support and prop of mans hope you would count this a very fond and vain hope for any man to hope that such a rich man would make him heir of all he hath though hee never promised him one foot of Land why just so vaine are the hopes of wicked men but now the Word of Promise is like a pillar of marble to bear up the hearts of Gods people as in 1 Tit. 2. In hope of eternall life which God that cannot lye promised before the World began the promises doe ground that man that hath interest in them to a hope of eternall life he that is without the Lord Jesus Christ the foundation of hope and without the promises which is the pillar of hope must needs be without all true hopes of heaven Reas 3 3. He cannot but be without hope because he is without Faith which is the ground of hope as in Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the ground of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen where no true Faith is there can be no hope for Faith is the Mother and Hope is the Daughter Hope is begotten by Faith an unregenerate man must needs be without hope because he is without Christ the foundation of hope and the promises the pillar of hope and Faith the ground of hope Reas 4 4. It appeares that he is without hope because when hee leaves the world his hopes leave him whereas the hope of a godly man never leaves him till it brings him to heaven when a wicked man dies his hopes are gone and leave him when
man that thinks there is neither difficulty in getting this grace of hope nor efficacy in keeping of it that man hath no true hope 1. Thou that thinkest there is no difficulty in obtaining this grace thou never yet hadst it for the least grace is beyond the power and capacity of any man to get of himself thou that thinkest it an easie matter to hope for heaven thou never yet hadst a true hope for it must be God that must work this grace in us as the Apostle sayes in Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all peace and joy in beleeving 2. Those that think there is no efficacy in keeping this grace of hope those have no true hope for wheresoever true hope is it hath these properties with it 1. It hath a purifying vertue with it as in 1. Joh. 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as God is pure 2. Hope hath a pacifying property with it It is the Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast though the World and the Devill trouble and disquiet you and afflictions and temptations molest and disturbe you yet this grace of hope will quiet and pacifie you those that hope in God shall be secure and at rest 3. Hope it hath a painful property with it it is never a sluggard where there is an impossibility there hope is cut off But that which a man hopes for he will labour and endeavour after as he that ploughs does plough in hope so the hopes of heaven will make you plough up the fallow ground of your hearts and make you indefatigable in your labours after heaven so that you shall take a great deal of pains and use all your endeavours for it SERMON XII EPHES. 2. 12. Having no hope WE come now to the third Queston which is this Que. What is the reason seeing the Scripture sayes that a wicked man hath no hope that of all the men in the world wicked men doe nourish greatest hopes for heaven in their hearts Answ In resolving this Question I shall lay you down five false pillars or props that doe bear up and nourish the hopes of wicked men and as I name them to you I shall shew you the rottennesse and deceitfulnesse and insufficiency of them for any man to build hopes of heaven upon 1. The first prop that wicked men doe build hopes of heaven upon is this because they have committed but smal sins in their life time and because they have not run out into the commission of such grosse and scandalous sins in the world as other men have therefore say they surely we have some ground to hope for heaven it is true we are sinners but my sins are but ordinary small sins and frailties they are not sinnes of a double die just as the Pharisee sayes Lord I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican because he was not as bad as other men therefore hee thought he had a right and title to heaven because they are not as bad as the worst therefore they think themselves as good as the best now I shall shew you the weaknesse and rottennesse of this pillar for any man to build hopes of heaven upon and that in these five particulars 1. You that make this a ground to build hopes for heaven upon let me tell you thus much that there are many men in the world that have kept themselves from great and crying sins and yet remain in an unconverted estate for instance you may see this in Paul in Phil. 3. 6. he tels us That according to the Law he was blamelesse there was no command of God in the let t◠of it that he was guilty of the breach of he was no swearer nor lyer nor stealer nor drunkard nor adulterer c. he was guilty of no great and grosse 〈◊〉 and yet Paul he had nothing to plead for heaven for him if he had not had the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ to plead for him Sayes the young man to Christ What shall I doe to inherit eternall life Christ tels him that he should not do any murther nor commit adultery nor steal nor hear false witness honor thy Father and Mother and love thy neighbour as thy self the young man answered and said all these things have I kept from my youth up and Jesus looked upon him and loved him and pitied him that such an ingenuous and blamelesse man as he was should yet go to hell this man did not break the Law of God in the letter of it but yet he went away sorrowfull when Christ bad him go sell all that he had and give to the poor the young man went away sorrowfull for he had great possessions then says Christ How hardly shall a rich man enter into the Kingdom of heaven and so the proud Pharisee that boasted himself over the poor Publican yet this man went away justified and not the other 2. You that make small sins a prop to build hopes of heaven upon it may be though your sins are little and small yet what they want in bulk and magnitude they may make up in number and many small sins are more dangerous then one great sin many small scars upon the heart with a penknife is as bad as a thrust with a sword it may be with thee in this regard as it is in Arithmetick many small figures amount to a greater sum then a few great figures do four small figures make a greater sum then three great figures so many small sins will do thee more harm then a few great sins if what your sins do want in bulk and magnitude you make it up in their number and multitude you are as liable to damnation as if you had committed great and crying sins though you have not committed adultery in your life time yet it may be you have had many sinfull and unclean thoughts in your heart and though you have not been guilty of murder yet it may be you have had many revengefull thoughts in you which is as bad as murther and so of any other sins 3. You that plead exemption and freedom from great sins to be a prop to build hopes for heavē upon know thus much that smal sins are more capable of great aggravations then great sins are as I shall shew you in these 3. particulars wherin smal sins do admit of greater aggravations then great sins 1. Smal sins are committed most commonly with more complacency and lesse reluctancy then great sins are unclean thoughts do please the heart and tickle the fancy and content the minde of a man and are committed with a great deal more complacency delight and lesse reluctancy who would strain at a gnat Now it layes your souls upon more guilt when you commit the smallest sins with delight and contentment and satisfaction then if you did
you live in unclean thoughts and actions all your life long and therefore this can be no prop for your hopes 3. Though David did fall into this sin yet he did not continue in it long for it was but nine moneths between Nathan the Prophets coming to David and telling and reproving him for his sin and the time that he fell into it but alas some of you it may be are Adulterers of nine years standing there are many amongst us that are old adulterers and yet never had a melting and sorrowfull heart for their sins that never wept as David did nor mourn as he mourned And so Peter he fell into a sin of denying his Lord and Master but 1. He was resolved and did verily purpose before to have confessed and not to have denyed him and yet when the Damsell came to him and told him that he was one of those that were with Christ Peter conceiving it may be that they would have put him to death and crucified him as well as Christ upon this sodaine surprise which was a very great temptation to him he denyed Christ And 2. Though he denyed him thrice yet afterwards he did confesse him as often as he denyed him for when Christ asked him Simon Peter lovest thou me he answered Christ three times Lord thou knowest that I love thee 3. Peter denyed Christ but yet afterward he went out and wept bitterly for it and therefore his obtaining mercy can be no ground for your hopes that never yet repented of any of the sins you have committed and thus you see that the falling of these three godly men into great sinnes can be no prop to bear up your hopes for heaven I shall now shew you more particularly that though the godly do fall into sinne yea even the same sinnes for the matter of them as you do yet they do not fall into them in the same manner As 1. If a godly man fall into sin it is unwittingly and unawares in Gal. 6. 1. sayes the Apostle if any man be overtaken with a fault A godly man he runs away with all the speed he can from a sin and temptation but sometimes it overtakes him against his will but now a wicked man he runs after sin and overtaketh it he sins with set purpose of heart He plots mischief upon his bed and sets himself in a way that is not good 2. A godly man fals into sin sometimes but it is with reluctancy and opposition the Spirit striveth against the flesh there is an opposing and striving against sin they are not like cowards but will fight as long as they can hold their weapon in their hands but now wicked men they commit sin with greedinesse with delight and complacency without any reluctancy at all 3. Every sinne that a godly man committeth maketh him more carefull and watchfull for the time to come thus it was with David Psal 38. the title of it compared with Psal 39. 1. The title of Psal 38. is called a Psalm of David to bring to remembrance the subject matter of this Psalme was to bring Davids sinne to his remembrance and having spent this in remembring his sins in the first words of the next Psalme sayes he I have sinned but I will take heed to my wayes that I offend not with my tongue after he had called to remembrance his sins past then he resolved with himself to strive against them in time to come A godly man never fals into a sin once but he fears to fall into the same sin ever after A godly man though he fals into sin sometimes yet he will at length get the upper hand of sin though for the present he be not able to grapple with sin yet he will overcome it at last Grace will out grow sinne and get the victory over it and thus I have shewed you the second prop that wicked men build their hopes for heaven upon we come now to a third and that is this If you beat them off from the two former then they flie to the mercies of God Oh say they God is a very mercifull God and I hope he that made me will save me and that I shall goe to heaven as well as other men and the like Now I doe not deny but the mercies of God is the chiefest prop under heaven that a man can build his hopes for heaven upon but here I shall shew you the rottennesse of this prop likewise in four or five regards and that the mercies of God in generall are no sufficient ground at all to build thy hopes for heaven upon unlesse thou canst lay claim to the mercies of God in particular for if you build your hopes upon the mercies of God in generall 1. The Devils and damned spirits may then hope as well as you 2. The common and outward mercies of God can be no good prop to build hopes for heaven upon unlesse you can lay claime to the saving and distinguishing mercies of God the common outward mercies of God wicked men may have for God is good to al and his tender mercy is over all his Workes the Devils share in the common mercies of God as well as others but these generall mercies of God are no prop to build hopes for heaven upon unlesse you can build upon the saving and distinguishing mercies of God as David prayes Shew mercy unto me O God sayes he with the mercy which thou bearest to thy own childeen it must be electing redeeming sanctifying and saving mercies that you must build your hopes for heaven upon 3. The generall mercies of God can be no ground of your hopes unlesse you have an interest in Jesus Christ for God is cloathed with greatnesse and terrour and dread and wrath out of Christ there is nothing to be looked upon but anger and wrath in God without Jesus Christ There were two lawes that God did make concerning the Mercy-seat 1. The High Priest was not upon pain of death to come to the Mercy-seat unlesse he brought incense with him now what does this signifie to us why it represents the intercession of Christ that as Aaron was not to come to the Mercy-seat without incense so neither can we goe to the Throne of Grace to beg mercy from God with any hope of audience or acceptance unlesse we carry incense with us which is the Lord Jesus Christ to plead for us 2. Aaron was to sprinkle the Mercy-seat with bloud which typifies to us that we are not to expect mercy from God but as we have an interest in the bloud of Christ 4. To you that build your hopes for heaven upon the mercies of God in generally let me tell you that God is not prodigall of his speciall mercies as to bestow them upon all the world but only upon a select number of men he will have mercy onely on them that fear him as for the wicked those that run on in their sins the Lord
every man in the world This comes within the Arminian bounds but this opinion is taken up by others too as well as them that hold universall Redemption but because I have already preached two or three Sermons upon this subject I shall therefore onely now speak so much as is needfull to shew you the rottennesse and insufficiency of this prop 1. Suppose Christ did dye for all yet those men that are of this opinion that Christ did dye for all they doe not hold that all men are saved by Christ but some men may fall off from Christ and be damned notwithstanding Christ dyed for them 2. Take this by way of answer that it is not likely that they should have benefit by Christs bloud that have no benefit by this death 3. To you that make this a plea for your hopes of heaven observe this that where there are these generall expressions they are very ill understood if you say they speak of universal generall redemption as in 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Because we thus judge that if one died for all then are all dead and he died for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that died for them and rose again why here none can lay claim to Christs death but those that live to Christ that died for them and so in Heb. 2. 9. But we see Jesus that was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death cloathed with glory and honour that hee by the grace of God should taste death for every man but mark the restraint in the next words For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory here the Apostle restrains the words to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings for both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren the Apostle does here again restrain the words and therefore this can be no more prop for your hopes that are not sanctified but thus much may suffice for the first branch in shewing you how wicked men doe make those places to be Scripture props for their hopes which are not 2. If they do not make those places to be Scripture props which are not yet they doe misapply those places which indeed are Scripture promises and grounds of hope as that Christ came into the World to save sinners now this is a Scripture promise for Christ came to seek and save them that were lost but now beloved men doe misapply this generall pillar of hope they take them in the generall notions of them and this makes abundance of people to harbour great hopes of heaven in their hearts but now I shall shew you wherein they doe misapply them 1. In not considering that a man must be first in Christ before he can lay claim to any promise of Christ They run to the promise and never examine first whether or no they have an interest in Christ The promise is good and comfortable but it cannot convey any comfort to thy soul unlesse thou art in Jesus Christ no more then a dry pipe can convey water to thee without the fountain we are first made Christs and then we have a right to all the promises of Christ it is by our interest in Christ that we have a right and title to all the promises of God in Christ If you have an interest in Christ you have all the promises as it were bound up in a bundle which you may have recourse to and make use of when you will 2. They object and say that the promises doe run in free and generall termes having no conditions annext to them Answ It is true there are some promises that are absolute so as to have no condition going before them but every promise in the Gospell hath some condition or other annext to it if it hath not a condition going before it as meritorious yet it hath a condition that followes after it â—â— in Gen. 17. 1. I am thy God all sufficient what then walk before me and be thou perfect In 2 Cor. 6. 16 18. I will be their God and they shall be my people and I will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord God Almighty what followes why in the 1. verse of the next chapter saies the Apostle there Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse both of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God So in Heb. 5. 9. Christ came into the world to save sinners but there is a condition goes after it he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified must be all one There is no promise in all the Gospell but that a condition is prefixt or annext to it in Mat. 11. 28. saies Christ Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest there is a foregoing condition we must come unto Christ and other promises have conditions going after as I could instance divers but these shall suffice There are two props more behind they are but very short ones I shall goe over one of them now because I would not be hindreed in my afternoons work in shewing you the difference between those that have a reall and well grounded hope and those that have only a false and deluding hope 6. Another false prop that wicked men build hopes for heaven on is this because they live honestly and justly among their neighbours they give every man his due and do no body any wrong and the like and therefore they conclude themselves in a very good condition Ans Were this a sufficient ground for hope for heaven there would more of the heathens goe to heaven then of you for they walk very exactly and are just and upright in all their dealings But wicked and bad men may have very good meanings in them as wee may see in Balaam Numb 23. 10. he desired to die the death of the righteous and that his last end might be like his this was a good desire and meaning in him 2. Take this for an answer that though a bad meaning will defile and pollute a good action yet a good meaning cannot advantage nor doe a bad action any good as the Scribes and Pharisees they performed very good actions in themselves but they had self-ends and bad meanings that spoiled all their duties good meanings cannot justifie bad actions If thy actions be wicked good meaning can do thee no good Rom. 8. Those that say Let us doe evill that good may come of it their damnation is just 3. Let your meaning be never so good yet if you have an ignorant minde it is worth nothing as in Prov. 19. 2. The minde without knowledge cannot be good as no man ever became rich
shall now give you a more particular view of them without God in the World the words as they are rendered in our translation incline this way for a man to be without any peculiar interest and propriety in God but these words without God in the World in the Greek signifies Atheists in the World that is they did so live as if there were no God in the World so then the words being thus opened there are two things involved in this phrase without God in the World 1. That they were Atheists in the world that is so living as if there were no God in the World 2. They were living in the World without any peculiar interest or propriety in God Doctr. From the first of these that they were Atheists in the World you may note this Doctr. That every man in the state of unregeneracy hee is an Atheist in the World he is a man that lives as if there were no God in the World every man in the state of unregeneracy is a practicall Atheist now when I tell you that every wicked man is an Atheist doe not mistake me for there are two sorts of Atheists an Atheist in judgement and an Atheist in practice an atheist in judgement is such a one as Pagans and Heathens are but an Atheist in practice is such a one as lives as if there were no God in the World so that the Doctrine is that every unregenerate man is a practicall Atheist that is he so lives as if there were no God in the World Psal 14. 1. The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God that is he so lives as if there were no God that takes notice of what hee does thou art a practicall Atheist oh man that so livest in the World as if there were no God in the world and here 1. I shall shew you how it comes to passe that any man is so grossely wicked to live as if there were no God in the World And 2. I shall give you the characters of a man that does live after this manner 1. How it comes to passe that men should be so grossely wicked such practicall Atheists to live as if there were no God in the World I shall give you four grounds of it 1. The first reason is because of Gods forbearance towards them Eccles 8. 11. Because God doth not speedily execute judgement upon wicked men when they commit a finne therefore they run into thoughts of Atheism and sinne with greedinesse as if there were no God in the World as in Psal 50. 21. These things sayes God thou hast done and I held my tongue therefore thou thoughtest that I was like thee but I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee because God held his tongue and did not reprove them for their sins therefore they thought him to be such a one as themselves that he was a sinner as well as they because sentence against an evill work is not speedily executed therefore the hearts of the sonnes of men are set in them to doe evill the for bearance of God to wicked men makes them run on into practicall atheism whereas this is no ground at all to encourage thee to run on in sin for 1. The forbearance of Gods judgments was never intended by God to breed atheism in thy heart but to provoke thee to repentance as the Apostle says The bountifulnesse and long suffering of God should lead us to repentance 2. This will aggravate thy condemnation to make the forbearance of God a provocation to thee to goe on in sinne And 3. Know this that though God doth forbeare a while from punishing of thee for thy sins yet he does neither forgive thee nor forget thee as in Nahum 1. 3. The Lord is slow to anger but he is great in power and hee will not surely clear the wicked though God does forbear thee yet he will not forget thee so in Eccles 8. 12. Though a sinner doth evill an hundred times and his days be prolonged yet it shall not bee well with him in the latter end 2. Another ground whereby wicked men do plunge themselves into atheism is this because they see other men that are knowing men and professing religion men that doe pretend to know God and love God and worship God when wicked men shall see such men as these fall into great and grosse sins and live so unanswerable to their profession this makes them conclude that there is no God in the World as in Rom. 2. 24. sayes the Apostle there the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you I have read a hrange story of a woman here in England that called in question the Deity whether there was a God or no and a Minister coming to her to convince her and satisfie her conscience and to perswade her into a beleife that there was a God asked of her this question how she came to bee an atheist shee answered the very first thing that caused her to entertaine thoughts of atheisme to beleive there was no God was the seeing of him live so wickedly and profanely for sayes shee I know you to be a learned and knowing man and you preach good Sermons and exhort people well and the very beholding you to live so wickedly to be a swearer a lyer a drunkard and a Sabbath breaker c. this made me to question whether there were a God in heaven or no seeing he did let you run on still unpunished 3. Another thing that makes men live as if there were no God in the World is the questioning of the authority of the Scriptures I have read of one a great scholar in this kingdome that the means whereby he came to be an atheist was this he first began to question whether the Bible were the Word of God or no because he did not know whether Moses that penned the beginning of it were a man of God or no then he questioned how Moses could write of those things that were done before he was born and then whether the Papists might not alter it in the translating of it and many others questions till by degrees he came to be a very atheist and to question whether there were a God or no and so there are some errours now in print that tend very much to atheism there are some that doe affirme that that Booke or volume of Bookes called the Bible is not the Word of God and such an opinion as this does very much worke upon mens hearts and perswade them that there is no God as in i Pet. 3. 4. sayes the Apostle There shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their owne lusts there are the Atheists but how came they to be so mark the next words and saying Where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning say they we have heard
that all men must be judged that after death they must appeare before the Judgement-seat of God to give an account of all their actions Now because they did not see these things accomplisht already they cryed out Where is the promise of his coming they would not beleeve there was any such thing the questioning of the truths of God was that which brought them to be very atheists 4. Another ground from whence atheism doth flow is pride of heart it is very well observed by one that most commonly Atheists are of the greatest men you shall seldome see a poore man an atheist but rich men altogether as Pharaoh in Exod. 5. 2. Who is the Lord sayes he that I should obey his voice and so Nebuchadnezzar in Dan. 3. Who is that God sayes hee that shall deliver you out of my hands so Alexander said himselfe was God Atheists are ordinarily of the greatest and richest and highest people Object But here some may object and say What doe you tell us here in England that wee are without God in the world you may say so to Pagans and Heathens but wee hope you will not say so to us Answ For answer to this Objection I shall here shew you 13 discoveries of a practicall atheist I shall give you three of them out of the Scripture and ten more deduced from the Scripture in Psal 14. 1. where it is said The Foole hath said in his heart there is no God in that very Psalm there are three discoveries of an atheist 1. A man living all his dayes in a prophane and disordered course of life towards God such an one is an atheist in the first verse of that same Psalme The Foole hath said in his heart there is no God what follows they are corrupt they have done abominable workes there is none that doth good that man that all his life time lives in a disorderly course of life and addes drunkennesse to thirst and commits one sinne after another that man is a practicall atheist hee lives as if there were no God in the World 2. That man that doth wholly neglect the duty of prayer in the 4. verse of the 14. Psalm They eat up my people as they eat bread and they call not upon the Lord such a man is a practicall atheist 3. That man that hates and carries a grudge in his heart against those that feare the Lord that man is an atheist in Psal 14. 6. You have shamed the counsell of the poore because the Lord is his refuge Use Now give me leave a little to press these three discoveries home upon your consciences Are they atheists that live a disorderly life and walk in a course of wickednesse all their dayes are such as these atheists Oh then how many atheists are there now in the world that doe spend all their days in sin and vanity and in a moment goe down into the grave 2. Are they atheists that doe neglect the duty of prayer oh then with grief of heart be it spoken how many atheists are there in the World that doe wholly omit this duty both in their families and in their closets How many are there that can say they never goe to God upon their knees in secret to beg for grace and mercy from God and this neglect of secret duties is a palpable demonstration that you doe live as if there were no God in the World and in so doing ye are very atheists 3. Is hatred and contempt of the people of God a badge of an atheist then likewise are there many Atheists in the world how many are there that can love a swearer and adulterer a prophaner c. yea love a dog and yet hate a Christian this proceed from a root of Atheisme that is in their hearts SERMON XVI EPHES. 2. 12. And without God in the world I Have delivered you in my last three Scripture discoveries of an Atheist there are ten other Characters yet behinde that are drawn from the Scriptures As 1. That man is an Atheist that does indulge and favour himself in the practise of secret sins he that does continually allow and favour himself in the practise of secret sins that man lives as if there were no God in the world Reverend Mr. Perkins gives us this badge of an Atheist that that very sinne which he will not dare to commit in the presence of a child yet that sin will he venture upon when no eye sees him thou that canst venture upon a sin in hope of secrefie thinking to hide it from the All-seeing Eye of God thou art a very Atheist thou that darest do that in the sight of God that thou art afraid to doe in the presence of a man this proceeds meerly from a root of Atheisme that is in the heart as in Job 22. 12 13 14. when a wicked man hath done wickedly he is ready to say How doth God know can he judge through the thick clouds thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not these are the expressions of an Atheisticall heart An Atheist if he can but keep himself from the censure and reproach of men he is well enough if men cannot say black to his eye or there goes a drunkard a swearer an adulterer or the like he is never troubled for his sins Oh therefore thou that wouldst be accounted chast where thou dwellest and yet keepest thy Dalilah in thy lap and oh thou debaucht liver that canst quietly and securely walk on in wayes of sin so that thou canst but keep them from the eyes of men know thus much that this proceeds from thy Atheisticall heart When the hope of secrefie imboldens any man to the practise of any sin that man is a very Atheist you that can fear the eye of a mortall man and yet not be afraid of the All-seeing Eye of an immortall God you that were never troubled for your sinnes when no body knew them but your selves but now this is that which troubles you that your sins are known to others if it be thus with thee thou art a practicall Atheist those that are troubled not because God sees their sins but because man sees them they are very Atheists as in Job 24. 13. 15. 17. these are they that abhorre the light that know not the way thereof nor continue in the path thereof the eye also of the Adulterer waiteth for the twilight and saith no eye shall see me and disguiseth his face for the morning to them is as the shadow of death and if one know them they are in the terrours of the shadew of death such as these are very Atheists they were not troubled because God saw their sins but because man did see their sins this is as the terrour of death to them they would not have men see their sins and yet they do not care what follies they are guilty of in the sight of God so that men cannot say black to their eyes