Ver. 17. the i7th Chaptei of St. J O HN. 230 would be no room for Rewards ; there is no Commendation; nor Praife, where there is a natural neceffity of doing good; as Stocks and Stones are not capable of a Reward for not finning, becaufe they cannot fin. 2. For the Safety of Religion, now Man is fallen, that he might not obtrude Fan- cies on his Neighbour. Hi. 8.2o. To the Law, and to the Teflimony ; if they f eal; not according to this PVord, it is becaufe their is no Light in them. Let it be Voice or Oracle, all is to be meafured by the outward Rule which God hath given to the Church. 3. In refpea of Man, to repair the Defeas of Nature, and to fatisfy the Delires of Nature. I. To Repair the Defeas of Nature. Fallen Man is brutifb, and knows not how to carve out a Right VVorfhip for God, or a Rule of Commerce between him and us: We have not Light enough in our own Hearts for fuch a Work. You fee what Corry Devices of Worfhip Man frameth, when he is deflitute of the Knówledg of God's Will, and left to the workings of his own Heart. The Apoftle obferves it of the Phi- lolophers, «um. r. 22, 23. the wifeft of Heathens, when they fat abrood upon Reli- gion, it proved but a monfhous misthapen Piece: Profeffing themfelves to be PVfe, they became Fools ; And changed the Glory of the uncorruptible God, into an Image made like tò corruptible Man, and to Birds, and four footed Beafis, and creeping Things. You fee how fottifh Man, if left once to himfelf, is ready to worfhip a Stick, or Straw, or piece of Red Cloth, inftead of God. Though the Knowledg of the Law of God be written on Man's Heart, as it was on .Adam's, who was his own Bible, yet it is fo blur- red and defaced, that we cannot read theMind of God in our own Heart. It is true, there are Come fcattered Fragments and Reliques, and Come obfcure Charaaers, that will teach us fotnething of Morality, and Duties to fit us for Commerce between Man and Man, but very little to teach us ho* to have Commerce with God. The Gentiles have the Work of the Law written upon their Hearts. Rom. 2. I¢, 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law, do by Nature the things contained in the Law ; theft having not the Law, are a Lacy unto themfelves : Which few the Work of the Lawwritten in their Hearts, their Conf iencei a fo hearing Witnefs, and their Thoughts in the mean while accufng, or eye' excufing one another : that is, they are fenfible of the neceffity of Ex- ternal Obedience, but Nature goes no further. There is no Article of Belief, if we confider it with all its Circumftances, and' in that exaa manner that is propounded to us in the Word of God, that could ever have 'entred into the Heart of Man. And therefore fince Man's Heart is fo weak, we need a Rule that we might know God's Will. His Works indeeddeclare God's Glory, that indeed 'there is an infinite, eternal, incomprehenfible Power, that made all Things, and guides all Things. Pfal. 19. I. The Heavens declare the Glory of God ; and the Firmament fheweth forth his Handy - work.. But they fpeak nothing of the Fall, of the Reftitution by Chrift, of the Myftery of the Trinity, and thofe glorious Reprelentations, that are now made of God in the Scriptures;' and therefore there was a neceffity in this kind to repair the Defeas of Nature. 2. To fatisfy the Delires of Nature. There are two Things that render us unfatif- fied with the Light of Nature, An unfatiable Define of Knowledg in the Soul ; and a Trouble of Heart about Mifery, Sin, and Death. a. An unfatiable Delire of more Knowledg, and full SatisfoBion concerning God; and':the way to enjoy him. Reafon, you know, is the Property and Excellency -of Man; and his Privilege above the Beans ; now Reafon delires to replenifh it fell with Knowledg and Perfeaion in its Kind. The Stomach no more delires true Food for Suftenance, than a Man doth Knowledg. Man that is born to know, bath a ftrong delire to it, and delight in it, when it is increafed. This was Adam's Bait in Paradile Gen. 3.6. The Tree tray good for Food, and pleafant to the Eyes,. and a Tree to. be defred to make one wife. And it is a mighty Deleaation, even to Man's natural Soul, to view any Truth ; the Contemplation of it is a mighty rejoicing and delight : therefore the Word of God may beget even in natural Men; fuch a kind of Deleaation. PCal. 19. I o. More to be dFred are they than Gold, yea, than fine Gold fweeter alfò than the Hotly; and the Hony -Comb. They rejoice the Soul, becaufe they fill it with Light. That there is fuch an impatient thirft and delire after more Knowledg than we have, in our (elves, appears by the very Idolatry of the Gentiles ; they were ùnfatisfied with their own Thoughts, they would know mores and that was the Reafon they were fo ready td elofe with every Fancy that was offered to them. As a Man that is very hungry, and al- ín'ofi
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