The atheist ansvvered, and his errour confuted. By George Elliot, author of Gods warning-piece to London. Each spire of grass, and every silly flie, bias us take heed how we a God deny; this whole creation with a sweet conseat, proclaim a being that's omnipotent. Eliot, George, 17th cent. 1675 Approx. 9 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2009-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). B03288 Wing E544 Interim Tract Supplement Guide C.20.f.4[9] 99884918 ocm99884918 182680 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. B03288) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 182680) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books; Tract supplement ; A4:2[9]) The atheist ansvvered, and his errour confuted. By George Elliot, author of Gods warning-piece to London. Each spire of grass, and every silly flie, bias us take heed how we a God deny; this whole creation with a sweet conseat, proclaim a being that's omnipotent. Eliot, George, 17th cent. 1 sheet ([1] p.). [Printed by [E.C. for Thomas Sare, London, : 1675?] Imperfect: cropped with partial loss of imprint; printer and date of publication suggested by Wing. Verse: "Deny a God!? blind Athiest cast thine Eye ..." With marginal notes. Reproduction of original in the British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Atheism -- Controversial literature -- Early works to 1800. 2008-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2008-09 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-11 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2008-11 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE ATHEIST ANSWERED , AND HIS ERROUR CONFUTED By George Elliot , Author of Gods Warning-Piece to London . Each Spire of Grass , and every silly Flie , Bias us take heed how we a God deny ; This whole Creation with a sweet conseat , Proclaim a Being that 's Omnipotent . DEny a God! ? blind Athiest cast thine Eye Up to the Sun , View well the Starry Sky , Those glittering Orbs , how they in Order stand , Each in his place , since Heavens mighty hand , First set them there ; See how the watry Cloud Flies swiftly o're thy Head , proclaiming loud , Its Makers praise : there 's not one drop doth fall Till God bids go , and then he numbers all That comes from thence , yea Heavens Eye doth look On every single Drop : in Gods great Book It is Recorded : and when they have done , How swift to other Regions they do run ? For to refresh the dry and parchy Ground , And thus they fly about this mighty Round , For not a Minute will they longer stay , In any place when God bids come away , What thing can make it self before it be ? That is impossible , 't is onely he Who nere beginning had that doth and can ( VVhose fist doth Fathom Heaven with a Span ) Create all things ; can that a being give ? Unto it self ? or make another Live ? That 's void of life it self ? O fools and blind ! VVhat frantick Folly doth possess your mind ? VVholly besotted ? void of common sence ? To let a Beast have the preheminence Above a Man : by what way doth the Light ? Divide it self ? how comes the day and Night ? Such order for to keep ? the Sun to Rise ? At his appointed time ? in one day flies About this mighty Globe , can any stay , His fiery Chariot ? who dare in his way , Vouchsafe to stand ? with what Majestique Ire ? ( This Lamp of Lights , the Element of fire ? ) Views all the Heathen World ? and on their face Doth set a Brand , and stamps a foul disgrace On every Athiest , who doth God deny ; To let us see how Heaven doth defy That sin Athiesticall . Observe the Snow , How soft it falls : and how the winds do blow At Gods command , and when he faith be still They cease their rage , most humbly to his Will They do submit : for all things him obey , He speaks the word , and who dare say him nay ? Can any stop the Tide ? how doth it keep Its constant custome when we are asleep ? So doth the Sun , Moon , Stars , and every thing Which from the Bowells of the Earth doth Spring , As Corn and Grass : without our care doth grow , The Heavens o're our heads , all things below Cries our there is a God ; this mighty round On which we live and die , the very Ground VVhereoe we tread , proclaimes a God , yea all That live and move on this vast massy Ball VVith joynt consent their Makers praise doth sing . ( It is absur'd to think that any thing , Can make it self : ) the Lilly and the Rose , One to the Eye the other to the Nose Gives sweet content : there 's not the smallest Clod We trample on : but proves there is a God. What fragrant Flowers doth the earth produce ? And all things necessary for our use ? Can it take care for us ? or know what need We have of things ? or how can fruit proceed From out its Bowells without Providence ? That man must needs be void of common Sence , As stupid as a Stone , to think it can By its own Power for the use of Man Produce all things , and wisely to provide For Man and Beast . And in each order guide Each Species in its kind : how can a Clod ? ( Without the Blessing of Almighty God Wh is Omnipotent ) have any power ? Unto a Spire of Grass , or smallest Flower To give a being ? no that cannot be , It is impossible , there 's none but he , VVho with a word did out of nothing call This mighty Round , Earths vast and Massy Ball The goodly Golden Canopy the Skies With every Fowl that under Heaven flies . Who in the twinkling of an Eye can turn Earth into nothing : in a moment burn The Heavens o're our Heads , who with a frown Can pull the Pillars of Earths Fabrick down Unhinge the Heavens , ( and the lowest Hell Wherein the Devils and the Damned dwell ) In far less space than th' twinkling of an Eye Can make those fierce , unruly Spirits lye As dead as any Stone . T is by his Power And his alone , that every fragrant Flower Hath its peculiar Scent , that bread doth give Such strength to Man , so that he cannot live VVithout it long ; that Cloaths do keep us warm , Lest that the Cold should do our Bodies harm ▪ VVhat care can Nature take ? can she provide ? For all things living ? or how can she Guide This Great Creation ? and in Order keep All this vast Bulk ? and when we be asleep Doth she watch o're us ? or can she defend In time of danger ? on a sudden send ? A speedy help ? that 's void of Life and Sence ? It is in vain to expect Providence From such a one : did she make Earth to hang 'I th open Air ? when all the Angels Sang Aloud for Joy , and clapt their Heavenly Wings , To see how God in order plac'd all things VVherein they keep : and in that order stand , E're since that day that Heavens mighty hand First plac'd them there : with what equality , Both Sexes in all things produced be , Men , Beasts , and Birds , and every kind of thing , VVhich do by Carnal Copulation bring Their Young ones forth : there is not any lack Of Male or Female , Nature unto wrrck Long before this VVorld run . ( It is not she , That can appoint what every thing shall be , VVhen in the VVomb it s put ) if she were left To Guide her self , she soon would be bereft Of all her Children : She 'd not long remain , But to a Chaos quickly turn again . How many thousands with their Lips confess The being of a God ? who neverless Are perfect Athiests ? for they him deny ( As well as those who openly defy Their Great Creator ) for to wish a Curse Upon our selves , how can the Devil worse Deprive us of all hopes ? for how can we ? At that Great Day expect to Saved be ? Pray to be Damn'd ? and in this time of Grace , Defy Salvation , and in Heavens Face In Scorn to Spit ? is such a horrid Sin , ( Though in this Age too many live therein ) The Devils dare not own : they would be glad That any gracious prossers might be had VVhereby they might be Sav'd , though all in vain . Nor can we Read the Devi's do blaspheme Gods Holy Name : or any where deny , Their Great Creator , but doth give the Lye To every Athiest : for they fear and quake Like Aspen Leaves : with horrid tremblings shake And do believe a God : when on a Flame , He sets this World : then his most Holy Name VVill be admir'd , every Athiest then Unto his praise will freely say Amen . FINIS . LONDON , Printed by E. 〈◊〉 for for Thomas 〈◊〉 Book Seller 〈…〉 Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div B03288-e10 Contrary to the Nature of the Element . Mark tris . Nothing can make it self . Observe this & believe . Gods infinite Power . This utterly convinceth the Athiest , for by Nature it is impossible . The practicall Atheist . That execrable Oath . Against Blasphemy .