34 SERMONS upon Serm. 3. Creatures are fo many Puffes, by which we may feel after God. (2.) By Works of Providence. The World is made up of things of different and deltruaive Natures, and all that ww now fee, would loon run into diforder and con- fufion, were it not polled and tempered with a wife Hand 5 and when we are ftupid, and do not mind thefe things, Providence difcovereth it felt in Judgments, and un- wonted Operations. Pfal. 58. I I. So that a Man pall fay, Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous 5 verily he is a God that judgeth in the Earth. s. Froth the Confeffion and common Confent of all Nations, even thole that have been moft rude and barbarous, there is none without Tome Worfhip. The Pagan Ma- riners, Jonah I. 5. were afraid, and cried every Man unto his God : Thofe that were molt eftranged from humane Society, thole that lived in the Wildernefs without Law and Government, have been touched with a retire of a Deity and Godhead, which mutt arife from natural inftinft. It cannot be any deceit, or impofition of Fancy, by Cuftom and Tradition, Falfhood ufually not being fo univerfl and long - lived. Men do what they can to blot out thefe Notions and Inftinéts of Confcience. An Inven- tion fo contrary to Nature, would have been long e're this worn our, 3. From our own Confciences, that appall the ftouteft Sinner after the commitment of any grofs Evil. The Heathens that had but a little Light, feared Death. Rom. t. uá. They knowing the judgment of God, that they that do filch things are worthy of Death, &c. And they had 'thoughts excufng and accuftng one another, Rom. 2. 14, 15. As Letters written with the Juice of a Limon, hold them to the Fire, they may be 'read. What Terrors are in the Hearts of Wicked Men, after the commitment of Sins againft Light, as Inceft, Murder, promifcuous Lulls, contemptuous fpeaking of God or his Worship ! Though their Sins were fecret, hidden under a covert of Dark - nefs and Secrefy, and not liable to any humane Cognizance, yet they 1fill feared an avenging Hand 5 their Hearts have been upon them. Yea, Atheifts fmitten with Hor- ror, what they deny in the Day, they acknowledg in the darknefs of the Night, -efpecially in dithers. Diagoras troubled with the Strangury, acknowledged a Deity. Or a little before Death, their Hearts are filled with Trembling and Horror. 4. From feveral Experiences. The Power of the Word. a Cor. 14. 25. Thus are the Secrets of his Heart made mani,fefh, and fo falling down on his Face, be will wor/hip God, and repart that God is in you of a truth. There is Tome God guideth thefe Men. There are Devils, and they would undo all, were they not bound up with the Chains and Reftraints of an irrefiflible Providence : God fuffereth them, now and then, to difcover their Malice, that we may fee by whole Goodnefs we do fubfift. So there are Vertues, which muff be by fome Infitution, or by conformity to a Supream Being, -ar a fenfe of his Law. They cannot be out of any Eternal Reafon, which is in the Things themfelves, nor by the appointment of Man's Will for then every thing which Man willeth would be good. Many Arguments might be brought to this purpose, but I am shortly to handle this Argument elfewhere. By way of Life. 1. Let us charge it upon our Hearts, that we may check thole private Whifpers and Sufpicions, which are there againft the Being and Glory of God. Many times we are apt to think that God is but a Fancy, lieligion a State -Curb, and the Gofpel but a quaint Device to pleafe fond and foolish Men 5 and all is but Talk to hold Men in awe. Oh cohfider, in fuch Truths as thefe, we do not appeal to Scripture, but Na- ture: You will never be able to recover your Confciences out of this Dread. The Devils are under the fear of a Deity. James 2.19. Thou believefl that there is one God, thou doff wells the Devils alfo believe, and tremble. The Devil can never be a flat Athe- ift, becaufe of the fear of the Wrath of God tormenting him 5 he is not an Atheift, becaufe he cannot be one, it cannot [land with the fate of a damned Angel 5 there may be Atheifts in the Church, but there are none in Hell. Humble thy fell for filch Atheistical Thoughts and Suggestions. It is a Sin irrational 5 all the Creatures confute it. Pfal, 93.22. So foolifh was I, and Ignorant, I was as a Beall before thee, when he had an ill thought of Providence. When you go about to ungod God, you unman your Pelves. Common Senfe and Reafon would teach you . otherwife, Thoughts and De- fires that ftrike at the Being of God, are Thoughts of a dangerous importance. Oh, what
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