The Exiftence of G 0 D. not affell: us. If a Chymift fhou!d e~trall:. a Liquor of,fuch an ex~ordinary virtue, ~ rhat by pouring a few drops of 1t on the duft, a body fhould be. form d, ammated, and ~ move, would any one be induc'd to behe,•e 1t WI_rhout the teft1~1?ny of bJS own eyes, and would it not be a furpnfing wonder? Yet mnumerable hvmg Creatures fprmg from the Duft by the falling of Rain, and few think it worthy of .Obfervation. The raiung a dead Body to Life would aflomfh us, but wea.reuna ffell:ed thateve!y day fomany living Men are born. Yet, 1f we confider thmgs anght, the fecret (ormmg a Body. m the Womb is an equal Prod tgy of Power, and as truly marvellous, as the reflonng the viral Congmities to a carcais, that prepare it for the recep6on of the Soul. What more defe rves fer ious Reflell:wn, than that from the fame mdtilmll: Seed, fo many and fuch , ,arious parts in their fubftance, figure and qualities fhould proceed? hard and dry for the Bones, liquid for the Humour;, m?tfl and foft for the. Flefh, tenactous for the Nerves, perforated for the Arteries and Vems, hot for the Liver and Heart, cold for the Brain, rranfparent for rhe Eyes? . How ~ou ld lt ratfe our wonder that _that Matter ~~:c:;,~~~~a~~~ ~T,i1~r"~fvf~~a~r~u~~~nss h~:re;s o~f"~:g~~ ~uc~ndad~~r~~~s A~l~ 'J:":l:}!t~~ of his jul1: Honour. Thus that from almofi an invifibie Seed weak and tender, t11m in ni:w~. fhould fpring a great Tree of that .1\rength as to !efifl t~e fury of the Winds, what mi- ~:,-;,,m;,..,. racu~ous virtue is requifit? Th~ inltghtned obfervmg Mmd afcends from Nature to God, J~ rfl tam piUwhofe inftrument it is, and wJth deliberate admiration praifes Him for his excellent fi~:{tli JtTboru. W~~k~he moll humble fear is a neceffary Duty from Man to the Majei\y and Power of the Creator. Abarren admiration ofhis Omnipotent Art in his Works is not fuf!icient,but it mufl be joyned wirh awful refpell:s ofhis Excellent Greatnefs. He has the Right, and to him is due t!t e Reverence and Homage ofUniverf.1l King. With what folemnity and compofednefs of Spirit fhould we approach the Divine Prefence? What a jealous watch ought to be placed over our Hearts in all our addreffes to Him, le!\ by carelefnefs and inadvertency we !hould difparage his Excellencies? To think of Him without Reverenco is a Profanation. The Lord i< agreat God, and a great King ablllJe aU Godr; and from hence the neceffary confequence is, 0 come let '" worjhip, and {"U dllWn, and fezeel before the Lord our Ma~er. Whatever is Glorious, is in Him in the moft excellent degrees of Perfell:ion. The World, with innumerable variety of creatures, is but a drop compared to his Tranfcendent Greatnefs : And what part is Man of that drop ? as nothing. Time is but a point of his Eternity, Dominion but a fhadow of his Soveraignty. 'Tis the mofl natural duty of Man to walk.. humblj with hi< God, and to fear above all ~~~~gsf~bj~~pl~~\ H~~ie ;n~ ';!~: <;'~dti~e~i\·~~~d~~e~n~~~*~ta~:t,o~~; ~~t ;~~~ What is more volatile and rafh than the Winds ? yet they do not breathe but by his Command. What is more fierce and impetuous than the Sea ? yet it does not tranfgrefs his Order. When it threatens to over-run the whole Earth, the weak Sand flops its foaming rage, and it retires, refpell:ing the bounds fet by the Creator. What then will be our gu ilt, if we are regardlefs of his Majefly and Authority, who are enlightned with Reafon to underi\and his Will, when the moft rebellious and unteachable things in Nature readily and conflatitly obey Him? He is prefcnt every-where, the whole ccimpats of Heaven and Earth is but an Inch of his Immenfity ; He fees all, obferves all, is more intimate with our Hearts than we are our felves; and dare Men trample on his Laws before his Face? Who can by refii\ance or Bight elcape from punifhment that offends Htm? He can bind the moil: ftubborn enemies handr and ftet ; and ca.ft them into #Iter darfezefr. As he made all things by the meer all: of his Will, fo without the leail: flrain of his Power he can dei\roy them? What does not a mortal Man arrogate to appear terrible, and make his Will to be obeyed, when he has but power to take a>tay rb1; fhort natural hfe? The proud Kmg of Baby/on commanded the numerous Nations under his Empire, to proi\rate themfelves like Brutes in the lowefl adoration of the Image he fet up; and when the three Hebrew young Men refufed to give Divine Honour to it, he threatned, If ye Worjhip 1101, ye jha/1 be <"jl the fame hour into the midft of 4 ~11rning fterJ Furnace ; and who ir that God that jhaU deliver yo1< out of my H1111dr? This IS the Language of.a Man (poor Duil: !) that can heat a Furnace with Fire, and has a Squadron of Souldters ready upon the leaf\ intimation of his pleafure to throw into it any that difobey'd, as if no Power either in Heaven or Earth could refcue them from him. . 'Twas impious folly in him that thus fpake: But God can give order to Death to fctze on th.e ftoutei\ Rebel, and cail: him into an Eternal Furnace, and fay in truth, ~'l'ho ~all dehver out of my hands ? HIS Power reaches beyond tloe Grave. Tlberiu rntendmg to put to Death by Oow and exquifit torments one who ki!l'd himfelf, cry'd E OUI
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=