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SERMON XX. ·

The subject improveđ.

SERMON XXI.

The pernicious Effects of an inflamed Tongue.

James iii. 6.

The Tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among the members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell.

SERMON XXII.

Noah's thankful Egress from the Ark.

Gen. viii. 20, 21, 22.

And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burntofferings on the altar, &c.

SERMON XXIII.

Impiety of offering to God that which costs nothing.

II Samuel xxiv. 24.

And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: Neither will I offer burntofferings unto the Lord my God of that, which doth cost me nothing.

SERMON XXIV.

The Subject continued.

SERMON XXV.

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Joseph discovering himself to his Brethren.

Gen. xlv. 3.

I am Joseph.

SERMON XXVI.

Abstaining from Evil.

Proverbs iii. 27.1

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

SERMON XXVII.

Doing Good.

Proverbs iii. 27.

Withhold not good from him, &c.

The Folly of Atheism.

PSALM xiv. 1,

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God: They are corrupt they have done abominable works; there is none that doth good.

HE first clause in this verse, correctly rendered, might be read thus; "The fool hath said in his heart, NO GOD." It may be understood to express a wish that there were no God, as well as an opinion, that there is none. And, indeed, such an opinion always presupposes the wish. No man ever disbelieved the existence of a Deity, unless his heart was previously disaffected to the character and government of the Deity.

There are few men, who are settled in the persuasion, that there is no God; but there are many, who in their hearts wish there were none; or none who hates sin, and will punish sinners. This op position of heart is the ground of speculative unbelief. The reason, why fools say, There is no God, is because they are corrupt, and have done abomin If there is a God, he must be perfect; B

able works.

VOL. IV.

he must approve of righteousness and hate wickedness; consequently the workers of iniquity must be exposed to punishment. Hence in their hearts they wish, there were no God, and labor to believe, there is none.

We will inquire, to whom the charge in the text may be applied: And then we will shew their folly. I. We will, first inquire, To whom the charge in the text may be applied.

1. If there are any who really disbelieve, and directly deny the existence of a God, these stand foremost in the class of Atheists. It is a question, however, whether there can be many, if there are any, of this description. The effects which we see, lead us up to the first cause; and this cause must be eternal, independent, intelligent, and powerful; must possess all perfections; that is, must be God. But then, it is one thing to believe in God, as the original creator and constant preserver of the natural world; and another thing to believe in him, as the righteous governor of the intellectual and moral world. There are some, who, while they acknowledge him in the former character, deny him in the latter. To To say, that there is no invisible power, which made and sustains the universe, is, in effect, to say, that the universe is eternal, or the product of fate or chance. This is too absurd and unphilosophical for a thinking man to admit. But then there are those, who deny a future state of retribution, and profess to believe,, that all men, if they exist at all, will be happy after death, whatever may have been their previous character. These though theists in a philosophical sense, are in a moral sense atheists. To say that God regards not our conduct, and will make no discrimination between characters, nor dispense rewards or punishments in a future world, comes exactly to the same thing, in a

moral estimation, as to say, There is no God. For the belief of a God, who is indifferent to our moral conduct, will have no more influence upon us, than a belief, that there is none. If we can persuade ourselves, that all men, will cease to exist, or will be alike happy hereafter, whatever is their character here, we shall feel no motive to virtue, or restraint from vice, except what arises from temporal convenience, or inconvenience. And of his own convenience every man will judge for himself: He will consequently submit to no fixed rules of action, but be wholly governed by his idea of present worldly advantage.

This persuasion of happiness for all men, and punishment for none, whether it be grounded on an opinion, that there is no God-or that he is indifferent to men's actions-or that he is too merciful to punish any actions-or that Christ has absolutely and unconditionally redeemed all men, still comes to the same result, that all men are safe; as safe in one way, as another; and perfectly safe in any way.

2. They who confound virtue and vice, and deny all moral obligation, say in their hearts, "NO GOD."

If moral perfection is the character of God, then morality is binding on men: For certainly intelligent creatures ought to be assimulated to the character, and subject to the will of the Creator. There are few, who will directly deny the obligations of morality: But there are many who admit sentiments, which, whether they see the consequence or not, do in fact lead to the denial of those obligations.

Some plead, that "whatever they think to be right, that is right for them; and if they act according to the persuasion of their minds, they shall be approved." Now what is this, but to exalt their own opinion above the divine authority? On this ground they

may justify the vilest actions. When once they are so depraved, as to call evil good, and good evil, their crimes will become virtues, and other men's virtues will be crimes. "But must not a man follow the dictates of his conscience?" Yes; but he must first see, that these dictates are agreeable to truth; for a man is responsible for his opinions, as well as for his actions. Paul verily thought, that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus; and he did them: But he afterwards condemned himself, as one of the chief of sinners, for having done them. "But does not the wise man say, As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he;' meaning, that what he thinks to be right, the same is right for him?"? No: I have heard foolish men sometimes say so, and pretend to adduce the authority of the wise man: But really the wise man says no such thing. He says, "Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, for as he thinketh in his heart so is he. Eat and drink, saith he, but his heart is not with thee." A niggardly, envious, evil hearted man may, to serve a turn, make a forced ostentation of liberality: But this alters not his character. The thoughts and feelings, the sentiments and dispositions of his heart, not the professions of his mouth, determine his character. Let him say what he will, he is such a man in reality, as he is in the temper of his soul.

Some say, "The end will consecrate the means; and if they have a useful and benevolent end, all means, which they think conducive to that end, must be good." But this is a most licentious doctrine. It sets aside the rules of virtue, and the precepts of revelation, and sanctifies fraud, injustice, perjury, and every vice, whenever a man can persuade himself that he is applying them to a valuable purpose. There were some in the apostolic times,