Now were there no such Atheists within the Walls of London before it was destroyed by fire? O how did practical Atheism abound in London! How many within thy Walls, O London! did profess they knew God, but in their works did deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto 1every good work reprobate? O Sirs! some there are that live loosely under the Gospel, that run into all excess of riot, and that in the face of all promises and threatenings, mercies and Judgments, yea, in the very face of life and death, of Heaven and Hell: and others there are that sin freely in secret, that can be drunk and filthy in the dark, when the eye of man is not upon them. Certainly those mens hearts are very Atheistical, that dare do that in the sight of God, which they tremble to do before the eyes of ⟨p. 70⟩men. How many are there that put the evil day far from them, that flatter themselves in their sins, that with Agage conclude, surely the bitterness of death is past, and that Hell and wrath is past, and that they are in a fair way for Heaven, when every step they take, is towards the bottomless pit? And divine vengeance hangs over their heads, ready every moment to fall upon them. Are there not many that seldom pray, and when they do, how cold, how careless, how dull, how dead, how heartless, how irreverent are they in all their addresses to the great God? Are there not many such Atheists, that use no prayer, nor Bible, but make Lucian their Old Testament, and Machiavel their New? Are there not many that grant there is a God, but then 'tis such a God as is made up all of mercy, and thereupon they think, and speak, and do as wickedly as they please? And are there not some that look upon God as a sin-revenging God, and thereupon wish that there were no God, or else that they were above him, as Spira did? And are there not others that have very odd and foolish conceptions of God, as if he were an old man, sitting in Heaven with royal Robes upon his back, a glorious Crown upon his head, and a Kingly Sceptre in his hand, and as if he had all the parts and proportion of a man, as the Papists are pleased to picture him? Some there are that are so drowned in sensual pleasures, that they scarce remember that they have a God to honour, a Hell to escape, a Heaven to secure, Souls to save, and an Account to give up.
Now were there no such Atheists within the Walls of London before it was destroyed by fire? O how did practica• Atheism abound in London! How many within thy Walls, O London! did profess they knew God, but in their works did deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto 1every good work reprobate? O Sirs! some there are that live loosely under the Gospel, that run into all exc•ss of riot, and that in the face of all promises and threatnings, mercies and Judgments, yea, in the very face of life and death, of Heaven and Hell: and others there are that sin freely in secret, that can be drunk and filthy in the dark, when the eye of man is not upon them. Certainly those mens hearts are very Atheistical, that dare do that in the sight of God, which they tremble to do before the eyes of ⟨p. 70⟩men. How many are there that put the evil day far from them, that flatter themselves in their sins, that with Agage conclude, surely the bitterness of death is past, and that Hell and wrath is past, and that they are in a fair way for Heaven, when every step they take, is towards the bottomless pit? And divine vengeance hangs over their heads, ready every moment to fall upon them. Are there not many that seldom pray, and when they do, how cold, how careless, how dull, how dead, how heartless, how irreverent are they in all their addresses to the great God? Are there not many such Atheists, that use no prayer, nor Bible, but make Lucian their Old Testament, and Machiavel their New? Are there not many that grant there is a God, but then 'tis such a God as is made up all of mercy, and thereupon they think, and speak, and do as wickedly as they please? And are there not some that look upon God as a sin-revenging God, and thereupon wish that there were no God, or else that they were above him, as Spira did? And are there not others that have very odd and foolish conceptions of God, as if he were an old man, sitting in Heaven with royal Robes upon his back, a glorious Crown upon his head, and a Kingly Scepter in his hand, and as if he had all the parts and proportion of a man, as the Papists are pleased to picture him? Some there are that are so drowned in sensual pleasures, that they scarce remember that they have a God to honour, a Hell to escape, a Heaven to secure, Souls to save, and an Account to give up.
- 1Titus 1. 16.
