ROM. 2. 15.
THis Text (as you heard) was fruitfull in bringing forth twins, two practicall observations. The first, That God hath implanted in mens hearts naturally some principles about a God, and the approbation of what is good, and also the rejection of what is evil., hath at large been handled. We come to the second, which is, That all the worth and excellency which men by these naturall principles, though improved to the utmost, can attain unto, is not grace. The Scripture requiring Regeneration, and a new Creation, doth still intend a further, excellency than naturall honesty, or naturall devotion can carry us unto; for as we told you, though men are here said by nature to have Gods Law written in their hearts; yet that is far different from that gracious promise in Jeremiah, where God is said to write his Law, and put his fear into their hearts, Jer. 31. For that is a writing of the Law, after the naturall stoninesse is taken away, and a tender fleshly plyable heart given unto them; so that should God write no more graciously in us, than what is at first naturally ingraven in us, it would argue no more that we had grace, than that the Devils and damned in hell have grace; for you must know these Dictates about God, and a Conscience about evill, is so inseparably ingraven in our hearts, that it is not taken out, no not from the damned in hell; but the great cause of all their torment and misery is, because that work of conscience is so quick and sensible in them, that being the gnawing worm which never dyeth: so then howsoever the last day, you heard the Heathens described in their glory, and many admirable things done by them; yet now you shall hear their glory stained, their Sun in an Eclipse, many dead flies that doe wholly marre their Box of oyntments. Indeed as Austin observeth, A man that reads what excellent things they have done, cannot but have a kind of pity of them, and a secret desire that they might be saved, which (no question) were the grounds that made some positively assert their salvation; but in matters of Religion, not humane pity or affections, but divine Authority must be the star to guide us, and where we are unable to find out the justice, or mercy of God, there yet to adore them, it being as impossible for us to comprehend the wise and deep things of God, as a worm to understand the councells, and wise purposes of men: Come we therefore to prove and illustrate our Doctrine, viz.
Observ. That whatsoever goodnesse, devotion or honesty, a man by naturall principles obtaineth, it is not Grace.
The work of godlinesse in a man, is of an higher sphere, and there is as great a difference between them, as between true Pearls and counterfeit. Onely I must remove one Objection, before I proceed to the point: for you may readily demand,1 What is all this Doctrine to us? What doth it concern us, to hear that Heathens may, or have done such righteous things? Are we Pagans, and Gentiles? We are Baptized, and have given up our names to Christ, and therefore doubt not, but that our condition is far better than theirs: we believe in Christ, we […]est on him for salvation, we receive the Sacraments. Therefore this discourse about naturall light, and naturall power, seemeth altogether impertinent to us; the least dwarf in Christianity being higher than the tallest Giant in Heathenism: What do you tell us of nature, who live under grace?
Answ. 1. To answer this, First, it may be charitably and justly asserted, that there are many who have the titles of Christians, that yet in knowledge and lives differ nothing at all from Heathens. They know no more than a very Pagan doth, and their lives are far worse than many Gentiles. There are men among us that seldome or never frequent Church-Assemblies, that if they be questioned about God, or Christ, or the Holy Ghost, can give no better account, than if they had lived among the Indians, onely they have heard of a Christ; but what he is, and to what purpose appointed by God, they know not the least iota or tittle of it: Its not any knowledge or faith they have about the Christian Religion, rather than any other in the World, but onely the Kingdome wherein they live, and the Authority under which they are, enjoyneth such things to be received, with the example of other their neighbours, especially the imitation of their parents, and this is all that moveth them to the owning of Christ. Certainly, the faithfull Ministers of God, may, or ought to say, Rivers of water runne down our eyes, because many understand not the very foundation and first principles of Religion. They are but mock-Christians, they have a name and a badge of Christianity upon them, but their ignorance and sottishnesse is so great, that it would make a man to be amazed at it. Do not therefore say, What is this to us? Oh it is too much to too many, who have scarce learned, whether there be a Christ, or an holy Ghost, or no.