SERMON I. A JOHN iv. 24. God is a Spirit S the belief of a GOD is the first. principle of all religion, it were furely needless to repeat the unanswerable arguments which have been urged, by the philofophers and divines of every age, in fupport of this leading truth: To those, indeed, who declare themselves atheists, fuch a repetition would be neceffary; but we, who have been affembled profeffedly for the purpose of celebrating divine worship, cannot want conviction of the existence of a Deity; fince, he that cometh to God, B 2 SERM. I. SERM. God, must believe that he is*; he that ad I. dreffes himself to the Supreme Being, must be convinced that fuch a Being exists. Can there, really, be a creature fo grofsly infenfible, as to live in a state of perpetual dependance, yet remain ignorant of the Power on whom he depends? Is he warmed by the fun, and fed by the fruits of the earth, without perceiving that creative hand from which the fun derived its luftre, and the earth its fertility? Is he deaf to the call of reafon, and the perfuafion of confcience? Is he blind to the numberless productions of nature, which proclaim to every intelligent observer, "These are the works of an invifible "GOD?" Can he raise his eyes to the fpacious firmament, and, while he beholds the moon walking in brightness, and the heavens glowing with innumerable ftars, can he forget the mighty architect, who divided the light from the darkness, and firetched out Heb. xi. 6. I. the heavens as a curtain ?-Lift up your SERM.. eyes on high, and behold who bath created thefe things. Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? Since then we can scarcely suppose, that, in an age which boasts its attainments in fcience, a real atheist will be found, we must rather conclude, that they who difclaim their Maker, are inftigated by a most prepofterous and unpardonable vanity, and think, by diffenting from received opinions, to be esteemed fuperior in knowledge and difcernment to the rest of mankind. Our prefent purpofe, however, is briefly to inquire into the nature of that Being, of whofe existence no doubt can be entertained by any individual of a religious affembly. * Isaiah xl. 26. 21. SERM. I. This inquiry will be found of no little importance, fince our ideas of religion must be false and mean, or just and exalted, in proportion to our conceptions of that Divinity, who is the fource, as well as the object, of all religion.-If the root be unfound, how can the tree flourish ?-Will not its leaves wither, its branches decay, and produce no fruit at the expected season to reward the toil of the planter ? But if the root be healthy, the tree will be vigorous; the fun will not warm it without effect, nor the dew of heaven water it in vain; at the appointed time it will put forth its leaves and bloffoms, and bend under the weight of luxuriant abundance. It is, therefore, highly neceffary that we endeavour to fix in our minds juft and proper fentiments of GOD; fince it is certain, that if we know Him not as he is, we cannot worship Him as we ought; if the notions we form of his effence and attributes are |