Burgess - Houston-Packer Collection BT715 .B85 1652

S a c T. VII. The Counterfeit ofInherent Grace. 357 about any "Religious things, as Bats and Owls : Who can bewail this darknefs enough. Secondly, Ifthou livelt inprophanenefs, in unroll and unrighteous ways, here thou art worfe then an Heathen, they will rife up and condemn thee; wither will the priviledgeof Baptifm or the title ofChriftianity be a protection to thee, from that wrath which is due to thyenormous ways. Thirdly, Our Savior(peaks oflome Heathens, that if the Gofpel were preach- ed to them, they would be more affefled, and teflifie better liigns of their love ofit, and reverence to ir, then thole who enjoy the means 'of Grace: If the things had bees donein Tyre andSidon, faith our Savior, which were Heathenifh places, they Wouldhave repented longago infacicloth anda/fies, Mat Iliac. Oitis a dreadful and terrible thing to confider, that even Pagans and Gentiles would manifeft better affections, -and more real relpeas to theword preached, then manyof thofe do, who yet have the clear day of the Gofpel f O that God fhould deny itto them, and vouchfafe it to thee, who maktll no, better ufe of it. 4'64.A1 SERMON LVIII. Of Ethicks or Moral`Philofophy, thatit leads not toSal'bation; QAnd that the e` 4oralYertues of `Ierperance, Fortitude,uflice, Liberality, c c. are not Grace, Ro M. 2.55. Which declare the LawofGod written in their hearts, &c. IShall at this rime finifh the matter i intended out of this Text, which was to fhew, That allthe Moral excellency andWorth, a man by nature can attain) unto, deferveth not to be called Grace and Godline/s. The onely thingconll- derable, that remaineth to bedifcuffed, is, Whether thole Moral Verities, the choicefi Heathens arefá exaE} in drfcril^ing of, andprtfng to, are Grace : For there is nothing feemeth to be fo like godlinefs, as thole Moral Venues, Fortitude, Temperance, Jultice, Liberality, &c. and feting the Scripture commands the fame things, that thofe Authors do tocommend, it may juftly be doubted, whe- ther to have thofe Moral Venues that do fo excellently civilize a man,and order- ly regulate all his actions, that the ChurchandCommonwealth wherehe liveth, recetveth much good by him, be not enoughto Salvation. This is a point of great concernment, for who doth not think, if he attain to fuch a well-temper- ed life, thathe is in theneceffary way to falvation ? For the better difcoveryof the truth in this point, confider thefe things : Firft, That the Heathens were right in this, incommending Moral Philofophy above allother Arts, becaufe the end of it was to make men civilly good, and Z z 3 orderly,

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