unto God for his Bleffings, and in praising him for his Goodness. But how can the People agree in Devotion, and worship God with united Hearts, when they do not understand the Meaning of the Prayers? Or how can they pray in Faith, and with a good Confcience, when they do not know what they ask of God, or whether he be praised, or not? Nay the Practice of worfhipping God in an unknown Tongue, is fo unreasonable in it felt, and fo plainly condemned by the Apostle in 1 Cor. 14. that it is ftrange that any Chriftian Church fhould ufe it, and labour to juftifie it.

MAADAR A LA MAN

CHAP.

VII.

Of the Parts of Religion; Of GO D's

T

Existence.

HUS far of the Rule of Religion: The Parts thereof are next to be confidered. The Parts of Religion are 92thefe Two. I. The Knowledge of God. II. The Worship of God.

THE firft General Part of Religion is, The Knowledge of God. There are four Things to be known of God,. I. His Existence. II. Essence. III. Perfons. IV. Works.

THE firft Thing to be known of God is his Exiftence. This is the firft Ground of Religion. For there could be no Religion, if there were

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not

not a God to be worshipped. But every one that cometh to God, muft believe that he is, Heb. xi. 6. And fuch evident Proofs there are of God's Exiftence, that it cannot reasonably be denied. For God who made all, and governeth all, hath not left himself without Witnefs, but hath divers ways declared his Being, Power, Goodness, and Perfections. The Greatnefs of the Universe, the Variety of its Parts, and the beautiful Order and Usefulness which appear in their Connexion, demonftrate the Excellency of him that formed them. For this World and the Things in it are not of themselves, but muft needs be made by fome other: And that other must be either GOD, or Chance.

BUT how is it poffible for blind Chance (as the Atheists hold) to fit Means to Ends, and fo to proportion Parts one to another, as to make a comely Symetry in the Whole, and not to fail in ten thousand Inftances? Sure we may as well conceive, that the most regular Building was framed by a cafual Concourfe of Stones and Mortar, Timber and Iron; as that the rambling Parts of Matter fhould by Chance place themfelves fo orderly in the World, and obferye such an exact Beauty and Harmony. How often

(faith a certain Author) might a Man, after "he bath fhaken a Sett of Letters in a Bag, throw "them out, before they would fall into an exact Poem,

or make a good Difcourfe in Profe? And may not a "little Book be as eafily made by Chance, as the great "Volume of the World?" Nay Reafon is able to teach us, that Matter cannot operate of it felf, and that Chance forms no Beings now: And how unlikely is it, that it fhould do fo much formerly, as to make the whole World?

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CERTAINLY fuch Beauty, Proportion, and Order, as is obfervable in the Creatures, cannot be Effects of meer Chance, but muft needs proceed from God, who is infinite in Wifdom, Goodness, and Power. For the invifible Things of God, even his eternal Power and Gedhead (faith the Apostle) are clearly feen from the Creation of the World, being understood by the Things that are made, Rom. i. 20. The Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament fheweth his handy Work, Pfal. xix. 1. The curious Frame and Pofition of the Earth demonftrates an infinite Wisdom and Power. The excellent Workmanship of our own Bodies, and the more wonderful Nature and Faculties of our Souls, may well teach us to adore him that made us. And nothing which God hath created, but upon due Confideration may afford us Matter of Praife and Admira

tion.

AND as the Glory of God fhineth forth in the Works which he hath made: So the Notion of a Deity is implanted in Mens Natures, and fo interwoven with the Principles of their Minds, that no Succeffion of Time hath been able to: wear it out. For all Nations, though different: in Manners, do confent in acknowledging a God. And no People are fo barbarous, but worship fome thing or other, as God. And this Belief of a Deity being fo conftant and univerfal, could not proceed from any Infirmity or Prejudice in Judgment. Nor could the Notion of a Deity be brought in by Fear and Dread, or by any. politick Device. For the greatest Princes themfelves have been fully convinced of the Exiftence of a God. And the People could not have been terrified with it, if they had not been acquainted C 4

with

with it before. The Fear of a Deity indeed doth poffefs the Minds of Men; but the real Exiftence of a God is the Caufe of that Fear. But if Fear alone made Men believe that there is a God, then the contrary Inftruction and Education would be able to root out this Belief. But though Men walk in wicked Ways, and are alienated from the Life of God; yet they acknowledge his Being.

NAY those wicked Wretches themselves, who deny the Existence of God, are never able to extinguish their natural Notions of it; witness thofe Fears and Terrors, whereunto they are obnoxious. No kind of Men are more afraid to be punished by God, than, fuch as pretend not to believe his Being: For their own Confcience. within doth teftifie against them. And though in Words they deny the Existence of a God, and live as if there were none: Yet those Confufions and Amazements, which fometimes they discover, do fufficiently confute their horrid Opinion.

AND befides, fome Atheistical Perfons have been overtaken with fuch fignal Judgments, that their ftrange Deaths have proved the Existence of God to their Sorrow. For is it likely that fuch kind of Men fhould be fometimes fingled out for Objects of remarkable Vengeance, if there were not a God, who obferveth their Deeds, and punisheth them according to their Deferts? So that we may well conclude with the Pfalmift, that certainly there is a God, who judgeth in the Earth, Pfal. lviii. 11.

CHAP,

CHAP. VIII.

Of the Effence and Names of GOD.

HE fecond Thing to be known of God is his Effence. The Effence of God is fpiritual, independent, and indivifible. The true God is a most pure Spirit without Body, Parts, or Figure, invifible, dwelling in the Light inacceffable, whom no Man hath feen, nor can fee; John iv. 24. 1 Tim. vi. 16.

AND God is fuch a Spirit as is uncreated, and independent. The Angels indeed are Spirits; but they were created by God, and depend on him. But God is an uncreated Spirit, who hath no need of any thing, but giveth to all Life, and Breath, and all Things; Acts xvii. 24.

THE Effence alfo of God, being spiritual and infinite, cannot be separated into Parts, nor divided between the three Divine Perfons; but it is wholly and entirely communicated from the Father to the Son, and from both those to the Holy Ghost.

THE Effence of God, though incomprehenfible in it felf, may yet in some measure be known by his Names and Properties.

THE