Or, how it may be known that
there is a God? It were almost blasphemy to move such a question, if
there were not so much Atheism in the hearts of men, which makes us either
to doubt, or not firmly to believe and seriously to consider it. But what
may convince souls of the Divine Majesty? Truly, I think, if it be not
evident by its own brightness, all the reason that can he brought is but
like a candle's light to see the sun by! Yet, because of our weakness the
Lord shines upon us in the creatures, as in a glass and this is become the
best way to take up the glorious brightness of his majesty by reflection
in his word and works. God himself dwells in light inaccessible that no
man can approach unto, if any look straight to that Sun of Righteousness,
he shall be astonished and amazed and see no more than in the very
darkness. But the best way to behold the sun is to look at it in a pail of
water, and the surest way to know God by, is to take him up in a state of
humiliation and condescension, as the sun in the rainbow. In his word and
works, which are mirrors of the divine power and goodness and do reflect
upon the hearts and eyes of all men the beems of that uncreated light. If
this be not the "speech that" day uttereth unto day, and night unto night,
"One self Being gave me a being," and if thou hear not that language that
is "gone out into all the earth," and be not, as it were, noised and
possessed with all the sounds of every thing about thee, above thee,
beneath thee, yea, and within thee, all singing a melodious song to that
excellent name which is above all names and conspiring to give testimony
to the fountain of their being if this, I say, be not so sensible unto
thee as if a tongue and a voice were given to every creature to express
it, then, indeed, we need not reason the business with thee who hast lost
thy senses. Do but, I say, retire inwardly, and ask in sobriety and
sadness, what thy conscience thinks of it, and undoubtedly it shall
confess a divine majesty, or at least tremble at the apprehension of what
it either will not confess or slenderly believes. The very evidence of
truth shall extort an acknowledgment from it. If any man denied the divine
majesty, I would seek no other argument to persuade him than what was used
to convince an old philosopher who denied the fire: they put his hand in
it till he felt it. So I say, return within to thy own conscience and thou
shalt find the scorching heat of that