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SERMON XIV.

ACTS xvii. 28.

For in him we live, and move, and have our being.

THERE is no proposition in nature more clearly and certainly capable of demonstration, than the existence of an eternal, infinitely wise, and powerful Cause, to whom all other beings owe their existence, and on whom they entirely depend. And as it is not consistent with perfect wisdom to give being to creatures without some valuable end and design, we may justly reason further, that, as he originally made them, he still continues to overrule and govern them in such a manner, as tends most effectually to answer the great ends of their creation. As these truths have the deepest and strongest foundation in nature and reason, so have they always had the sanction and authority of the general consent of mankind. Every nation and people, where there was any order or form of government, had also some profession of religion; and wheresoever any religion is professed, there must be some notions of a God and Providence. Indeed atheism is far from having been the epidemical wickedness of mankind. Amongst the fools that said in their hearts, There is no Goda, some few have been foolish enough to declare and avouch it; but the world in general has been much apter to multiply the objects of worship, than have none at

a Psalm xiv. I.

all, and to believe in gods many, and lords many, rather than deny the existence of any superior power. This was the state of Athens, when our apostle preached there upon the subject of my text. He saw the city wholly given to idolatry, and so superstitiously fearful, lest any of the gods should be neglected by them, that altars were erected to gods unknown, of whom they did not know so much as the name.

Some learned mend are of opinion, that this altar was dedicated to the honour of the one true God, the Maker and Governor of the world; who is therefore styled unknown, because he is not only invisible, but also incomprehensible by mortals. But whatever the Athenians might mean by it, it is certain St. Paul took occasion from hence to discourse to them of God, that made the world and all things therein, who is Lord of heaven and of earth: "who "was incapable of being confined within any temple "or human fabric; that no image could be made as "a proper instrument to represent him; that he "needed no gifts or sacrifices, being himself the "fountain from whence life, breath, and all other "blessings were derived to particular beings: that " from one common original he had made the whole race of mankind, and had wisely fixed and deter"mined the times and bounds of their habitation; " and all to this end, that men might be the strong"lier obliged to seek after him, and sincerely to "serve and worship him. A duty which they might

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c Acts xvii. 16.

b 1 Cor. viii. 5. d Among whom is Cudworth, Intellect. Syst. 474. Compare Cave, Life of St. Paul, sect. 3. Godwyn's Moses and Aaron, 139. Rous's Attick Antiq. p. 38.

"easily attain to, (though otherwise sunk into the deepest degeneracy, and overspread with the gross“est darkness,) he everywhere affording such palpable evidences of his own being and providence, "that he seemed to stand near and touch us; it

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being entirely from him that we derive our life, "our motion, and subsistence":" for in him we live, and move, and have our being.

The apostle does not mean this in the pantheistic sense, as if God was the only substance in the universe, and we and all other things whatsoever existed in him, as parts, or portions, or modifications of his substance. On the contrary, he plainly distinguishes between the Maker and the work; and is so far from thinking, that the universe or whole system of beings is the only God, that, according to his doctrine, they are the creatures only of his power, still entirely dependent upon his will, and all the rational and free part of them accountable to him for their actions. We are not parts or members of God, but we are his offspring, whom he hath freely produced into being; and we do not necessarily exist in his substance, but are graciously preserved by his power and goodness; who, as he at first conferred being on ús, is still intimately near to support us in it, and gives us life and breath and all things.

For the clearer apprehension of this subject, it is usually distinguished into divine preservation, strictly so called, cooperation or concurrence, and government. Preservation is that act of Providence by which all things are supported and upheld in their existence; or the continuing to them that being which the act of creation conferred. And it has.

e Cave, ubi supra.

been a maxim generally received, that preservation is not an action really distinct from creation, but (creatio quasi continuata) a sort of continued creation. And in a qualified sense this is certainly true. But there is no necessity to understand it so, as to conclude from hence, that creatures have any natural tendency to annihilation; as if a state of existence was a state of violence to them, and that they would of themselves fall back again every moment into nothing, unless prevented by some positive act of preservation. That dependance is included in the idea of a creature, is a point which will hardly be denied. But the question is, what is to be understood by this dependance, and how far does it extend? It is certainly in the power of God to annihilate the creatures he has made, at any time, whenever he pleases. But to say that in that case no positive act of power need be exerted, because nothing is produced, seems to be a mere quibble upon the word. Here is certainly a very strange and wonderful effect, a passage from being to not-being, a change from existence into nothing. To produce such a change as this seems to be above the power of any created nature. No creature can annihilate itself; no creature can annihilate another. It is the sole privilege of that Omnipotence, which first gave them being, to be able to take it away. And his not taking it away, and reducing them again into nothing, which is every moment in his power, is called his negative preservation. What positive act or influx of power, over and above this, is necessary to sustain them, is a point which perhaps we are not able to determine. But it seems most probable, that they are upheld in their existence by the general and or

dinary concurrence of Providence; and as they have no tendency to annihilation in themselves, will continue to exist, in some shape or other, for ever, unless God puts a period to their being by an extraordinary exercise of his power. But this is a sort of metaphysical speculation, to which possibly the words of the apostle do not extend. He is speaking, not of the mere existence of things in general, but of the preservation of mankind in that order, and rank, and condition of life and being, in which it pleased God at first to create him. In him, i. e. in and by God, we men live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own (the heathen) poets have said in effect, when they called man the offspring of the Deity. For he is a bad parent, who will not preserve, and cherish, and take care of his children.

And in this larger and more popular sense of preservation is included also that other act of Providence, called cooperation or concurrence. This supports us not only in being, but in well-being; enables us not only vivere, sed valere; and gives us the power of performing all the functions of animal life,

and all the actions of our reasonable nature. The human body is a most curious machine, informed and actuated by an immortal spirit. The union of these so different natures is a mystery to man, from the beginning to the end. He knows neither when it commences, nor how it is continued; and when it pleases God to dissolve it, there is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death.

They, who have most accurately considered the frame and structure of the body, the materials of

f Eccles. viii. 8.

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