DP SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. 151 Psalm, (for the words maybe sa read,) All his thoughts are, that there is no God. Howbeit the context describes him as one who rather despiseth his providence, than denieth his being. But such there are, whomthe same Psalmist elsewhere brands for fools, though them- selves seem to suppose that wisdom was born and will die with them. Psal. xiv. 1, & liii. 1. It may be, never anyage since the flood did more abound with open atheism, among such as pretended to the use and improvement of reason, than that wherein we live. Among the ancient civilized hea- then, we hear ever and anon of a person branded for an atheist, yet are not certain whether it was done justly or not : but in all nations of Europe at this day, cities, courts, towns, fields, armies, abound with persons who, if any credit may be given to what they say or do, be- lieve not that there is a God. And the reason hereof may be a little inquired into. Now this is no other, in general, but that men have decocted and wasted the light and power of the Chris- tian religion. It is the fullest revelation of God that ever he made ; it is the last that ever he will make in this world. If this be despised, if men rebel against the light of it, if they break the cords of it, and are senseless of its power, nothing can preserve them from the highest atheism that the nature of man is capable of. It is in vain to expect relief or preservation from inferior means, where the highest and most noble is re- jected. Reason, or the light of nature, gives eviden- ces to the being of God, and arguments are still well pleaded _ from them to the confusion of atheists ; and they were sufficient to retain men in an acknow- ledgment of the divine power and Godhead, who had no other, no higher evidences of them ; but where men
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