ROM. 2. 15.
VVE have instanced in many grounds, which may justly be thought to blue, if not quite race out, that Law of Nature in us. The next thing to be undertaken is, to shew wherein men do demonstrate these1 dictates of Conscience, and how far they have been prevalent upon them to that which is good: And the discovery of these things, is an excellent way to raise blushing in the faces of many Christians, and to provoke them to jealousie, when they see that done in Athens or Ethnical Rome, which is scarce done in Jerusalem; especially those who are the people of God, and pretend to an higher and supernatural light, must diligently beware, lest they be outstript in those moral honest things, which the very light of nature teacheth some men. To the work therefore in hand; And
First, This Law of God in mens hearts, is demonstrated by these excellent Tractates and discourses, which many by the help of natural light onely have written; wherein2 although they are as blinde as Bats and Owls, in the Sun-shine of the Gospel, in respect of any true gracious thing, yet they do wonderfully approve that which is good and righteous in the general, condemning and disswading from that which is evil. Thus the Moral discourses of Seneca, Plutarch, Plato, and some of the Stoicks, speak very high things about that which is vertuous, and that which is vicious; insomuch that many mens Divinity in their Sermons, or Contemplations and Devotions, have been nothing but the choice flowers pulled out of their garden. This (I confess) is justly to be blamed, and severely reproved: for Scripture matter, either in things of faith, or things to be done, doth as much excell all those Notions, either in majesty or purity, as the Sun doth an Ignis Fatuus, or any Ignited Meteore: But I know not how it falls out, whether of the witty invention in them, or eloquent expressions, those Heathen Authors have delighted some, more then Davids Psalms, or Pauls Epistles; especially many of the Jesuits in their Religious Tractates, stuff their discourses with Seneca’s Contemplations, or Moral Inventions. Now although it be true, that it were a great error to take John Baptist, though a great Prophet, for Christ, much more a Seneca or a Plato (though stiled Divine) for a Christ; yet if we speak of the sphaere of nature, how far she hath been able to accuse vice, and plead for vertue, herein they have been wonderful; take Tullies Book De Ossiciis: If men and their publique conversation, did keep to that fidelity in words, righteousness in deeds, and love to the publique against all particular profit, it would make the lives of men very admirable, though not godly: And it is a great honor to those Books of the Heathens, that the Apostle himself doth sometimes alledge verses out of such Authors, and that for morality also; witness that sentence, Evil words corrupt good maners; which is sanctified (saith Tertullian) or made Ecclesiastical, as Hierom, by Paul, it being a verse of the Comedian Menander; and it is true by experience, that evil words and discourses, such as some Corinthians had, which did privately, by some reasonings fetched from Philosophy, endeavor to weaken the Christian faith about the Resurrection, do quickly infect mens lives: and as the Apostles, so ministers may sometimes upon fit occasions, use sentences out of those Authors, so that they do it not too frequently, or with affectation, or thereby disparaging the powerful simplicity and divine Plainness of the Scripture. The many Books therefore and Discourses, which men by the help of natural Conscience have made, to the ordering of mens lives in a vertuous way, are a sure demonstration of this Law written in their hearts.
Secondly, The wise, just and righteous Laws which many of their Law-givers3 have made, when they setled a Political Government, do plainly declare also this work of God in them. Its true, that such Law-givers, besides their inplanted reason, had also acquired much experimental prudence, and haply some of them at least, had by hear-say, the Divine Polity and Government which Moses appointed the people of Israel: But with these, they had also those sparkling notions, of differencing justice from injustice, good from evil, else they could never have made such wholsome Laws; especially the Laws and Manners of the Lacedemonians, are much commended for Sobriety, Moderation, and Abstinence from all intemperate and luxurious courses; insomuch that Erasmus saith, Diceres Germané Christianos, si pro Lycurgo Christum nacti fuissent legum latorem, one would have thought them true Christians, if they had had Christ a Law-giver for their Lycurgus, though herein Erasmus, as in other places, is too bold: Howsoever, this comes wholly from that Divine impression men have left in their consciences, whereby they punish sin and exorbitancies, but reward vertuous imployments. It is true, in some things their wisest Law-givers have established notorious wickedness, but that doth not hinder the acknowledgement of their many other good Laws. If then Heathens have such thoughts about wicked actions, that they deem them worthy to be punished with all disgrace, contempt and reproach, yea some of them with death it self, and that in the most cruel maner. This doth evidently declare, that they had inbred principles about good and evil; and upon this ground it is, that the Apostle speaking of Magistrates, even Paganish, saith, They are the Ministers of God, to thee for good, Rom. 13. That they are a terror to the evil, and not to the good; if thou doest well, be not afraid, but if thou doest ill, fear, because he doth not bear the sword in vain: So that this is a manifest conviction of the Conscience of every wicked man. If thou art a prophane, unjust, intemperate man, why art thou afraid the Magistrate should see? Thou fearest his eyes, Is it not because of an implanted principle, That good is to be incouraged, and evil to be avoided? and the very fear of the Magistrates sword, keeps a world of people from that actual wickedness, which otherwise they would be plunged into: So that if you look over all the Societies of men in the world, that have a Government, wherein some command, and some obey, you will conclude, All this proclaimeth to the world, men have thoughts there is a God, and that wicked actions deserve just punishments.