Ver.3. the 17th Chapter of St. JOHN. 35 what a foul Heart have I, that cafteth up fuch Mire and Dirt ! Wrath. came Upon the yews to the uttermo(t, for killing Chrift in his Humane Nature ; but thefe are Thoughts that ftrike at God, and Chrift, and all together. 2. It reproveth thole, that wi(h down, or live down this Principle. Some with it down, Pfd. 54. 1. The Fool bath Paid in his Heart, There u no God ; It is his Defire, rather than his Thoughts. It is a pleafant thing for them to imagine, that there is none to call them tó an account. Guilty Men wòuld fain deftroy the Righteous God ; which is an Argument of the worft hatred. Some live it down 5 Tit. 1. 16. In Works they deny-him. It is the real Language of their Lives,' that There it no God. There is no greater temptation to Atheifm, than the Life of a Scandalous Profeffor. One fur- prized a Chrillian in an Aec of Filthinefs, and cried out, Cbrifiiane 1 Chrifliane I nbi Deus taws ? 0 Chriflian ! Chriftian ! where is ay God ? There are few Atheifls in Opi- nion, more in Affeätion, moll in Converfation of Life. You live in Deceit and Co- zenage, and yet profefs to believe an Omnifcient God, and your privy walkin are full of Sin and Excels. There is Blafphemy in your Lives.; Rev. Az. g. I know t e ¿lof- phemy of them, .which fay they are Jews, and are not, but are the Synagogue of Satan. Mr. Greenhorn tells of one, who was executed at Norwich for an Atheift : he was a Papift, then a Proteftant; then he fell off from all Religion, and turned Atheift. How can you believe it is true, that there is a God, when this Truth hath fo little power on the Heart? 3. It preffeth you to lay this Principle up with Care. All Satan's malice is to bring you to a denial of this Supream Truth; it is good to difcern his Wiles. There are fpecial Sealons, when you are moll liable to Atheifm : When Providence is adverfe, Prayers are not heard ; and thole that worfhip God are in the worft Cafe, the Lord doth not come in when we would have him. The Devil worketh upon our Stomach and Difconteny and when we are vexed that we have not our Deliires, we complain, as Ifrael, Exod. 17.7. Is the Lord among us, or no ? when they wanted Water. But fill our God is in the Heavens, and doth whatfoever he pleafeth. The Saints in their Ex- poftulation Rill yield the Principle. Plal. 73. 1. Truly God is good to Ifrael ; however the Rate of things are, yet he is relolved to hold to Principles. So, Jer. 12. 1. he layeth it down as an undoubted Maxim, W ighteous art thou, 0 God ! God is God fä11. So when we meet with Oppreflion, Men pervert Judgment, others forfwear themfelves, our Innocency doth not prevail, the Devil abufeth the rage of Pallions in fuch a Cafe. As Diagoras, a noted Atheift among the Heathens, became fo upon this occafion.; he law a Man deeply forfwearing himfelf, and yet was not flriken with a Thunder -bolt. Confider, though this be a lure Temptation, yet there is a God. Ec- clef. 3. 16, 17. I Jim under the Sun the Place of Judgment, that Wickednefs was there; and the Place of `Righteoufnefs, that Iniquity was there. What then? I fold in my Heart, God Pall judg the Righteous and the Wicked ; for there is a time for every Purpofe, and for every Work God will have a time to judg this Matter ere long : (till recover your fupreme Principle Out of the hands of the Temptation So in times of general Op- ppreflion, when the innocent Party are left as a Prey to their Adverfaries. Ecclef. q. 8. DVhen thou feeji the Violent perverting of 9udgment and Nice in a Province, marvel not at the Matter ; for he that is higher than the highefi, regardeth, and there be higher than they. We may lofe all outward Supports, but not our God ; Attamen vivit Chrifius, ér regnat. So when fecond Caufes operate and aecompli(h their wonted EffeEts, ac- cording to their fixed and feared Court, all things continue as they were, a Pet. 3. 4. they think theWorld is governed by Chance, or Nature ; fo this proveth a Snare. But you fhould fee God at the other end of Caui s ; he can change them as he pleafeth. Fee 2 SERM.
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