It is strange they should not observe it in themselves, upon so manifold evidence. Do but recount with your selves, and run over the several heads of evidence that have been given. Can you deny you have minds capable of knowing God? Cannot you conceive of Wisdom, Power, Goodness, Truth, Justice, Holiness, and that these may be, either more manifest, or in more excellent degrees, even among Creatures, in some Creatures more than ⟨p. 41⟩in others; but that Being, in which they are in highest, and most absolute perfection, must be God? Can you deny that you have lived in great ignorance of God much of your time? that your ignorance was voluntary, having such means of knowing him, as you have had? That you have usually been thoughtless and unmindful of him in your ordinary course? That the thoughts of him have been ungrateful, and very little welcome, or pleasant to you? That you have had little converse with him, little trust, reverence, delight, or expectation placed on him as the object? That you have not been wont to concern him in your affairs, to consult him, to desire his concurrence? That you have not thought of approving your self to him in your designs and actions, but lived as without him in the world? That you have not designed the pleasing, or obeying of him in the course of your conversation? That the Gospel under which you have lived, hath had little effect upon you, to alter the temper ⟨p. 42⟩of your Spirits towards him? That, if his Spirit hath sometimes awakened you, raised some fear, or some desires now and then in your Souls, you have supperest, and stifled, and striven against such motions? Do not these things together discover an enmity against God, and the ways of God? And is it not strange you cannot see this? and perceive a disaffection to God by all this in your selves? What is so near a man, as himself? Have you not in you a reflecting power? Know ye not your own selves, as the Apostle speaks, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Yea, generally, men never find fault with themselves, upon any such account! and, consequently, think themselves in such respects very innocent in the sight of God, and think he finds no fault with them.
It is strange they should not observe it in themselves, upon so manifold evidence. Do but recount with your selves, and run over the several heads of evidence that have been given. Can you deny you have minds capable of knowing God? Cannot you conceive of Wisdom, Power, Goodness, Truth, Justice, Holiness, and that these may be, either more manifest, or in more excellent degrees, even among Creatures, in some Creatures more than ⟨p. 41⟩in others; but that Being, in which they are in highest, and most absolute perfection, must be God? Can you deny that you have lived in great ignorance of God much of your time? that your ignorance was voluntary, having such means of knowing him, as you have had? That you have usually been thoughtless and unmindfull of him in your ordinary course? That the thoughts of him have been ungratefull, and very little welcome, or pleasant to you? That you have had little converse with him, little trust, reverence, delight, or expectation plac'd on him as the object? That you have not been wont to concern him in your affairs, to consult him, to desire his concurrence? That you have not thought of approving your self to him in your designs and actions, but lived as without him in the world? That you have not designed the pleasing, or obeying of him in the course of your conversation? That the Gospel under which you have lived, hath had little effect upon you, to alter the temper ⟨p. 42⟩of your Spirits towards him? That, if his Spirit hath sometimes awakened you, raised some fear, or some desires now and then in your Souls, you have supprest, and stifled, and striven against such motions? Do not these things together discover an enmity against God, and the ways of God? And is it not strange you cannot see this? and perceive a disaffection to God by all this in your selves? What is so near a man, as himself? Have you not in you a reflecting power? Know ye not your own selves, as the Apostle speaks, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Yea, generally, men never find fault with themselves, upon any such account! and, consequently, think themselves in such respects very innocent in the sight of God, and think he finds no fault with them.
