Psalm 14:1
We are much assaulted to atheism and blasphemy; to atheism, as the greatest sin that
is, in that it smites at the root of all; for to say the truth, all sin comes from atheism (for who would sin, did he then verily think that there were a God that saw all, and would punish all) and such a God, God must be, or no God. And all sin tends to atheism (for when we have sinned, sin draws us towards atheism exceedingly, and wipes out all notions of a deity as much as it can); and when we are in sin, we must be either willing to get out of it by repentance, or else we shall be willing to become atheists; the best of our play then, being to feed ourselves with a conceit, that all is but talk to hold men in awe, and that there is indeed neither heaven nor hell; no place of torment, that when we die all is gone, that it is with us not otherwise than with a beast.
Thus when the conscience will not get quiet by turning to God by repentance, then it will seek to quiet itself by unbelief bearing itself in hand, that there is no such place as hell to torment people in. Consider, however, that Satan does all he can to make people atheists, because when there is no fear of God before their eyes, they will sin all manner of sins that the devil would have them sin.
So Ps. 14, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." What follows? "They are corrupt," they have done abominable works; thus then, when once men take to atheism, they grow most corrupt and do abominable works. There is no restraint in sinning then, for what should or can keep the wit and will of man, when once he conceives that there is no such thing as God? The devil cannot be a flat atheist, for he believes and trembles; and were it nothing but the sense he has of the wrath of God tormenting, why that is enough to prove that Satan does fully and undoubtedly acknowledge a divine power. He is not an atheist because he cannot, because he shall not, but yet he bears good will to atheism, because that sin does much advantage his kingdom.
—Richard Capel
Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans
We are much assaulted to atheism and blasphemy; to atheism, as the greatest sin that
is, in that it smites at the root of all; for to say the truth, all sin comes from atheism (for who would sin, did he then verily think that there were a God that saw all, and would punish all) and such a God, God must be, or no God. And all sin tends to atheism (for when we have sinned, sin draws us towards atheism exceedingly, and wipes out all notions of a deity as much as it can); and when we are in sin, we must be either willing to get out of it by repentance, or else we shall be willing to become atheists; the best of our play then, being to feed ourselves with a conceit, that all is but talk to hold men in awe, and that there is indeed neither heaven nor hell; no place of torment, that when we die all is gone, that it is with us not otherwise than with a beast.
Thus when the conscience will not get quiet by turning to God by repentance, then it will seek to quiet itself by unbelief bearing itself in hand, that there is no such place as hell to torment people in. Consider, however, that Satan does all he can to make people atheists, because when there is no fear of God before their eyes, they will sin all manner of sins that the devil would have them sin.
So Ps. 14, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." What follows? "They are corrupt," they have done abominable works; thus then, when once men take to atheism, they grow most corrupt and do abominable works. There is no restraint in sinning then, for what should or can keep the wit and will of man, when once he conceives that there is no such thing as God? The devil cannot be a flat atheist, for he believes and trembles; and were it nothing but the sense he has of the wrath of God tormenting, why that is enough to prove that Satan does fully and undoubtedly acknowledge a divine power. He is not an atheist because he cannot, because he shall not, but yet he bears good will to atheism, because that sin does much advantage his kingdom.
—Richard Capel
Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans
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