The gallants burden A sermon preached at Pauls Cross, the twenty nine of March,…The gallants burden A sermon preached at Paules Crosse, the twentie nine of March,…

Blessed is the man that doth not walk, &c. His first plot is, to get us, to walk a turn or two with him: having persuaded this, he moves us to stand still a little; but so long as we are standing, we are going, therefore at last he entreats us (for our ease) to sit down: but ⟨p. 16⟩if we take our seat in that enchanted Chair, we grow to that impudence to deride God, and his judgements. I will single you out four fortes of these Edomites, Scorners (for I justly parallel them) and propound their natures and conditions to your pity and detestation.

Blessed is the man that doth not walke, &c. His first plot is, to get vs, to walke a turne or two with him: hauing perswaded this, he moues vs to stand still a litle; but so long as we are standing, we are going, therefore at last he intreates vs (for our ease) to sitte downe: but ⟨p. 16⟩if we take our seate in that inchaunted Chaire, we grow to that impudence to deride God, and his iudgements. I will single you out foure fortes of these Edomites, Scorners (for I iustly paralell them) and propound their natures and conditions to your pitty and detestation.

1 Atheists, such as have voluntarily, violently, extinguished to themselves, the Sun-light of the Scripture, Moon-light of the Creature; nay, the sparks and cinders of Nature, that the more securely (as unseen and unchidden of their own hearts) they might prodigally act the works of darkness; not Athenian-like, dedicating an Altar to an unknown God, but annihilating to themselves, and vili-pending to others, Altar, Religion, God; and suffocating the breath of all Motions, Arguments, manifest Convictions, that heaven & earth have produced: for the reasons of Hell only shall one day evince it (Deum esse) that there is a God: they affirm it impossible, that flesh should be turned to rottenness, rottenness to dust, and dust to glory: Against whom,¹ well, S. Augustine; He that could form us of nothing, can reform us decayed: it is easier to repair, then prepare. That Atheism in the days of Solomon was the same in opinion, that ours is in practise: we do (not say but) live, as if it was better to a living Dog, then a dead Lyon: which I would yield true among Beasts; but among men, a dead Beast is better then a living Atheist: let them ask Nature, it will tell them, (Insculptum est omnibus esse deum) It is engraven in all hearts, that there is a Deity: let them ask the Creatures, they will witness, they had a Creator: nay, let the Devil speak, to shame and convince the Atheist, who believes a God, and trembles at his own belief: the nature of his essence proveth it: