SERM. we are, in conformity to experience, taught by sacred VII. scripture) hath an especial regard unto the poor and Psal. cxlvi. unto the meek; providing for them, and protecting ix. 9. x. 14. them.

7. cvii. 41.

xxxvii. 18.

I might subjoin those significations of Providence, which the general connection of mankind doth afford; things being so ordered, that several nations and societies shall be prompted, by need or by advantage mutual, to maintain correspondence and commerce with each other; under common laws and compacts, that so there should become a kind of union and harmony even among the several parts and elements, as it were, of the human world. I might consider the benefit that arises (as in the natural world from contrary qualities and motions, so) in the human world even from wars and contentions; how these rouse men from sloth, brush away divers vices, ferment and purge things into a better condition : but I will not strive to be so minute and subtile.

Here I shall conclude these sorts of argumentation, inferring the existence of God from the common effects obvious to our sense and experience, either in the greater world of nature, or lesser world of man; by which God doth continually, in a still, though very audible voice, whisper this great truth into our ears. There be other sort of effects, more rare and extraordinary, which go above or against both those streams of natural and human things, whereby God doth more loudly, as it were, and expressly proclaim his being and providence; the consideration of which I shall reserve to another time.

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the words, which we have heard this day with our outward ears, may through thy grace be so grafted

inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth SERM. in us the fruit of good living, to the honour and VII. praise of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I Believe in God,

SERMON VIII.

THE BEING OF GOD PROVED FROM

UNIVERSAL CONSENT.

PSALM Xix. 3, 4.

There is no speech nor language where their voice is not *Who read heard: their line (or rather, according to the* LXX, their instead of voice) is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

קולם

SERM. THE Psalmist doth in this place observe and affirm

VIII.

(very plainly) the universality of religion; that all nations did conspire in acknowledging a Divinity, and ascribing thereto the framing and conservation of the heavens. He supposes the heavens to speak an universal language, heard and understood by all people, therein glorifying God and declaring him their Maker.

Upon which supposition I purpose now to ground an argument, to prove (that which formerly by seve ral other kinds of discourse I have endeavoured to evince) that great fundamental truth concerning the existence of God, that is, of one incomprehensibly excellent Being, the Maker and Governor of all things.

nium popu

tium inuna

diffiden

i. 2.

The argument (to be short) is that (as Lactantius SERM. speaks) universal and unanimous testimony of VIII. people and nations, through all courses of time, who⚫ Testimo(otherwise differing in language, custom, and conceit) lorum atonly have agreed in this one matter of opinion. que gen This testimony, in itself simply taken, hath indeed hac re non (according to the rules of reason and judgments of tium. Lact. wise men, no small force; but seems to have much greater, if we consider the source, whatever that could be, whence it was derived. As to the thing absolutely taken, Aristotle thus ranks the degrees of probability: what seems true to some wise men is somewhat probable; what seems to the most or to all wise men, is very probable; what most men, both wise and unwise, assent unto, doth still more resemble truth; but what men generally consent in hath the highest probability, and approaches near to demonstrable truth; so near, that it may pass for ridiculous arrogance and self-conceitedness, or for intolerable obstinacy and perverseness, to deny it. A onda s man, saith the philosopher, may assume what seems true to the wise, if it do not contradict the common univation opinion of men; no man's wisdom (he supposes) suf- Toλ dóğficient to balance the general authority of men. deed, when extravagant wits, and pretenders to wisdom, (or to an extraordinary reach in knowledge,) shall assert things evidently repugnant to sense or reason; that snow and coal have the like appearance, (as did Anaxagoras ;) that all motion is impossible, (as Zeno;) that contradictory propositions may be consistent, (as Heraclitus ;) we may add to those instances, that all things in nature proceeded from chance, (as Epicurus and his followers ;) what other means have we (since no principles can be more evi

τὸ δοκοῦν τοῖς

σοφοῖς, ἐὰν

ἐναντίον

ταῖς τῶν

αις ή Τορ.

In-i. 8.

VIII.

SERM. dent than such propositions as they reject) to confute them, or to decide the cause, than making appeal to the common sentiments of mankind? which if they decline, what have we more to do than to laugh at or pity them? however, surely, he needs to have a very strong and very clear reason to shew, who dares to withstand the common suffrage of mankind, and to challenge all the world of mistake. Now some

what to enforce this discourse; but more to evidence the matter of fact upon which it is grounded, and withal to make good that confirmation thereof, which was intimated; I shall allege some few testimonies of ancient philosophers, (that is, of witnesses in this cause most impartial and unsuspected,) selected out of innumerable others extant and obvious, serving to the same purpose: We are wont to attribute much, saith Seneca, to what all men presume; it is an argument with us of truth, that any thing seems true to all; as that there be Gods we hence collect, for that all men have engrafted in them an opinion concerning Gods; neither is there any nation so void of laws, or good manners, that it doth not believe there are some Gods; so doth he assert the matter of fact, and argue from it. The like doth Cicero in many places, sometimes in the person of his dialogists, sometimes according to his own sense; pressing this argument as very weighty. This, saith he, in his Tusculan Questions, seems a most firm thing, which is alleged, why we should believe Gods

a Multum dare solemus præsumptioni omnium hominum, apud nos veritatis argumentum est aliquid omnibus videri; tanquam Deos esse sic colligimus, quod omnibus de Diis opinio insita est; nec ulla gens usquam est adeo extra leges moresque] projecta, ut non aliquos Deos credat. Sen. Epist. cxvii. vid. de Benef. iv. 4.