The divine life in three treatises

they are all gone aside, and are altogether become filthy, there is none of them that doth good; they are workers of iniquity that have no knowledge, and eat up the people of God as bread, and call not upon the Lord, Psal. 14. 1, 2, 3, 4. [Ungodliness] is but the English for [Atheism.] The Atheist or Ungodly in Opinion. is he that thinks that there is no God, or that he is One that we need not Love and Serve (and that is but the same, viz. to be no God.) The Atheist or Ungodly in Heart or Will, is he that consenteth not that God shall be his God, to be loved, feared and obeyed before all. The Atheist in Life or outward practice, is he that liveth as without God in the world; that seeketh him not as his chiefest good, and obeyeth him not as his highest absolute Lord; so that indeed Atheism is the sum of all iniquity, as Godliness is the sum of all Religion and moral good. If you see by the description which I have given you, what it is to be Godly, and to walk with God, and what it is to be an Atheist or Ungodly, you may easily see that Godliness is more rare, and Atheism more common, than many that themselves are Atheists will believe. It is not that which a man calls his God, that is taken by him for his God indeed. It is not the Tongue, but the Heart that is the man. Pilate called Christ the King of the Jews, when he crucified him. The Jews called God their Father, when Christ telleth them, they were of their father the Devil, and proveth it, because (what ever they said) they would do his lusts, Joh. 8. 44. The same Jews pretended to honour the name of the Messiah, and expect him, while they killed him. The question is not what men call themselves, but what they are: Not whether you say you take God for your God, but whether you do so indeed: Not whether you profess your selves to be Atheists, but whether you are Atheists indeed or not. If you are not, look over ⟨p. 187⟩what I have here said, and tell your consciences, Do you walk with God? who is it that you submit your selves willingly to be disposed of by? To whom are you most subject? and whose commands have the most effectual authority with you? who is the Chief Governor of your hearts and lives? whom is it that you principally desire to please? whom do you most fear? and whose displeasure do you principally avoid? from whom is it that you expect your greatest reward?