336 7he counterfeit of inherent Grace. S a c r. VII. ffaey: And thus thework ofthe Law was perfeâly engraven in Adam, heart, both forknowledge todifcern , and power toperform. This was aStar fare e- nough co guide Adam to eternal happinefe : Adams foul was not made like a blank paper , for Virtue or Vice tobe written on it , in a meer indifferency; but he was made after the image of God, which was righteoufneffe , and true soli_ nefle. It was an Image , the whole and univerfall refemblance of God , and every Lineament was curioully , and accurately drawn. By reafon of this, therewas no duty to be done , but Adam knew it, there being no ignorance, imprudence, blindeneff, or folly in hisminde; and hereby he had a propenfion , in- clination,facility, and delight inwhat God commanded, no commandment being an heavy yoke tohim. But Secondly,Ifwe ;ifeakofman turnedan Apoflate, and becomea wretched pro. digall, lofingthatflack Godfet himup With; Then though nothing of that holy image be left in him , yethis Underilanding and conscience being faculties of his reafonable foul, they abide frill, elfe he could not be a man. And although theft are whollycorrupted, as todo any thing that is truely good , yet there re- mains in manfallen , common notions and principles about religion and honeffy, which ferve for many [pedal ufts hereafter to be mentioned : And although in fouie their have been defaced , and theyhave grown pall feeling, and their fenfc ofGod almofr extinft, yet for thegeneral their principles have been aêive in all men. And LaQlly,We may (freakoftheft Divine reliques in man,as refirmedand enlight_ ned by God, word, and fsrbiJhedby f pernatural direFtion, : And herein they are wonderfully furthering godlineffe; for gracedoth not put out thole little fparks, but enkindleth them to a flame : So that natural principleselevated andperfeaed by fupernatural, carrya man forward to all real godlinelfe. Nowmy dfcourfe/ha!< be limitedto natnrallight andpower , While we are corruptedin ourfnfull raster; and in the examination of this,we may feedifcovered, that though nature bath many WhyGod bath things laudable and commendable,yet f heis not to fit in theThrone ofGrace; but left the not;- rather nature is races foot - (tool. ns ofonCci- $ eante intnan In the next place let usconfider why God bath left thefe notions (as fo many fallen. fparks of fire raked upin afhes) inour hearts. a.That God And firR , That hereby godmight be knownand acknowledged in all the World: known andac- That though men bynature did but grope in the dark, when they enquired what knowledged in God was, yet it was clear to them there was a God, whom they conceived fa. all the world, preme, and then whom nothingcould bebetter. This the Apoflle calls, ti yAa- stiv ms ©sê That which maybe known of Çad, Rom. t. a9. Indeed this naturali knowledge of God is foconfufe, uncertain, and corrupted through carnali imagi- nations , that in the Scripture phrafe they are laid to be ignorant of god, and to be without God, and that Gotha onlyknown in be Church : But yet that they at- tain to tome kinde of apprehenlionof him , is plain by Rom. a. where they are condemned becaufe theydidnotglorifie God, at they knew God. This is a fure Axi- ome, That there is nomeet natural Atheift in judgement; there may beanAthedt in affeaion and delire, willing therewere noGod togovern and order all things, punifhing men for their wickednefle ; in which fence the Plalmiflfaith, The fool bath faidinhiá heart, there is no God, Pfal. a4. a. But to be perfwadedin judge- ment , there are none fo by nature, or very rare : godhatVet thisCandle in the dark place, of the belly, to keepmen inaw, andto acknowledge a power above them. Men that have not had the glorious Sunne of the word to walk by , yet they have had this Torch togoby in the night. And truly the improvement of this natu- ral principle, that there is a God,might make every wickedmans joynts to tremble; hat wema for ifthou canflnot rate it out of thy heart,Why dofr thou notglorifie himas God? be the mortiny Why art thou not afraidofhim asa God ? excufable. 7 Secondly, Therefore thefe rallied! principles of goodandevill abidein o , that
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