Christian observations and resolutions, or, The daylie practise of the renewed man, turning all occurrents to spirituall uses, and these uses to his vnion with God I. centurie : vvith a resolution for death, &c. / newlie published by Mr William Struther ...

27. Atheisme poyson.

ATheisme is both the most vniuersal & most vncureable disease of the world: It is a coūtersconce erected by Satā against the Gospel, to elude the force of it, and to hold men still in the bandes of sinne: It goeth vnder one name, but hath many branches, some more open, and some more secrete, and in their worke some more dangerous than other: A dissolute man is not so powerfull to per∣swad his opinions, as he who colloureth his profannesse: Open Atheisme almost refuteth it selfe, but couert Atheisme may deceiue the wise. There is neither

such a ground nor couerture for A∣theisme, as to maintaine that men of all Religions may be safe: To make so many doores to Heauen, is to cast wyde open the gates of Hell; Christ hath tolde vs, that the way to heauen is narrow, and few finde it, and hee calleth himselfe the VVay, but not the wayes: As there is but one God, so there is but one way to him by Faith and Obedience in Christ.

The signes of it, are an humane & offi∣cious carriage to man, but licentious and irreligious, before God: a praise of all o∣ther religious, and a carping of the Reli∣gion professed in the place of their dwel∣ling: And if necessitie draw them to the publicke worship, their behauiour be∣wrayeth an absence of their soule from that exercise: They jest at Sermons, and make none other use of holy Scrip∣ture, than profanlie to apply it to euery profane purpose & trifling occasion: & at their meales, their vnhalowed morsels must be set ouer with the sauce of some abused sentence of Scripture: they care not to offend God, for pleasing their com∣panie,

who partak of their profannes, if they be not offēded at y^• offēce of God.

As mettals are known by their sound, so their grosse Atheisme is discouered by their profane noyse. They who feare God, dare not carie themselues so before him: And they who haue found sacred Scripture the seed of their regeneration, the foode of their soule, and their com∣fort in trouble, will neuer turne so hea∣uenly Oracles to the matter of their sporting. But they are not long vnpuni∣shed, and their damnation sleepeth not.

Nature in Athiests findeth it selfe vexed with the dumbe choppe of con∣science crying vnto them, that there is a God, But this surmyse is out-cryed, and Conscience out-faced, by this, when they thinke any course is a way to hea∣uen. Such men are not so much justi∣fying their course before men, as pro∣uyding libertie of sinning against the cheeke of their owne conscience: There is no such compendious way to libertie, as the lacke of Gods feare: And that heart is voyde of his feare, who sayeth,

That there is no God: Though hee be most glorious in himselfe, and gracious to them that know him, yet hee is no∣thing to the hart that denyeth him.

But Athiests will finde a fearefull wa∣kning: God whom they deny, hath his witnesse in them, and in ende will testi∣fie his trueth to their destruction, ex∣cept they amend: It turneth men in beastes, yea, in Deuils: While their heart is saying, There is not a God, their Conscience giueth them the lie, and by secrete checks, both arreasteth them be∣fore, and tormenteth them in the Name of that God, whom they denye. They can neither destroy GOD in himselfe, though they desire it, neither in the hearts of the godly. All the fruites of their godlesse spurring, is to moue him to destroy themselfe: It is good to sof∣ten our heartes in the feare of God, and to seeke out and follow that straite way of life: Blessed is hee, who feareth alwayes, but hee that hardeneth his heart, shall fall in mischiefe. Prov. 28. 14.