Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

2. Wholly therefore to neglect it, is a high degree of Atheism. He that calls not upon God, saith in his heart there is no God; and seems to have the sentiments of natural Conscience, as to God, stifled in him^*: It must arise from a conceit that there is no God, or that we are equal to him, adoration not being due from persons of an equal state; or that God is unable, or unwilling to take notice of the adoring acts of his Creatures: What is any of these but an undeifying the supreme Majesty? When we lay aside all thoughts of paying any homage to him, we are in a fair way opinionatively to deny him, as much as we practically disown him. Where there is no knowledge of God, that is, no acknowledgement of God, a gap is opened to all licentiousness^*: And that by degrees brawns the Conscience, and razeth out the sense of God. Those forsake God that forget his holy Mountain^*; They do not practically own him as the Creator of their Souls or bodies. 'Tis the sin of Cain, who turning his back upon worship, is said to go out from the presence of the Lord^*. Not to worship him with our Spirits, is against his Law of Creation: Not to worship him at all, is against his act of Creation: Not to worship him in truth is Hypocrisy: Not to worship him at all is Atheism, whereby we render our selves worse than the worms in the Earth, or a toad in a Ditch.

2. Wholly therefore to neglect it, is a high degree of Atheism. He that calls not upon God, saith in his heart there is no God; and seems to have the sentiments of natural Conscience, as to God, stifled in him^*: It must arise from a conceit that there is no God, or that we are equal to him, adoration not being due from persons of an equal state; or that God is unable, or unwilling to take notice of the adoring acts of his Creatures: What is any of these but an undeifying the supream Majesty? When we lay aside all thoughts of paying any homage to him, we are in a fair way opinionatively to deny him, as much as we practically disown him. Where there is no knowledge of God, that is, no acknowledgment of God, a gap is opened to all licentiousness