340 01 the great Duties of Natural Religion, Vol, j Man is apt to do fo, when he meets one with whom he has dealt dithoneftly, of who knows fome notorious Crime by him. 3. Vice is generally forbidden and punifhed by Humane Laws : but againft the contrary Virtues there never was any Law. Some Vices are fo manifeflly evil in themfelves, or fo mifchievous to Humane Society, that the Laws of molt Na- tions have taken care to difcountenance them by fevere Penalties. Scarce any Nation was ever fo barbarous, as not to maintain and vindicate the Honour of their Gods and Religion by publick Laws. Murder and Adultery, Rebellion and Sedition, Perjury and breach ofTrutt, Fraud and Opprefiìon, are Vices feverely prohibited by the Laws of molt Nations. A clear Indication, what Opinion the generality of Mankind, and the Wifdomof Nations have always had of thefe things. But now againft the contrary Virtues there never was any Law. No Man was ever impeached for living foberly, righteoufly, and godly in this prefent World. A plain Acknowledgment, that Mankind always thought them good, and never were fenfible of the Inconvenience of them; for had they been fo, they would have provided againft them by Laws. This St. Paul takes notice of as a great Commendation of the Chriflian Virtues; Thefruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Long(offering, Gentlenefr, Kindnefr, Fidelity, Meehnefa, Íemperance 5 againilfuch there is no Lam 5 the greateft Evidence that could be given, that thefe things are unquetlionablygood in the Efteemof Mankind, againli frech there it no Lam. As if he had laid, turn over the Law of Mofes, fearch thofe of Athens, and Sparta, and the twelve Tables of the Romans, and thofe innumerable Laws that have been added lince 5 and you £hall not in any of them find any of thofe Virtues that I have mentioned, condemned and forbidden. A clear Evidence that Mankind never took any exception againft them, but are generally agreed about the goodnefs of them. Fourthly, God hath (hewn us what is good by External Revelation. In for- mer Ages of the World, God revealed his will to particular Perfons in an extra- ordinary manner, and more efpecially to the Nation of the Jews, the reft of the World being in a great meafure left to the condu& of natural Light. But ha thefe later Ages he hash made publick Revelation of his Will by his Son. And this as to the matter of our Duty, is the fame in Substance with the Law of Na- ture ; For our Saviour comprehends all under thefe two general Heads, the love of God, and ofour Neighbour. The Apoftle reduceth all to three, Sobriety, yufiice and Piety The grace of God that brings Salvation bath appeared to allmen, teach- ing ses that denying ungodlinefs and worldly Mils, we fhould livefoberly, righteoufly, and godly in this prefect World. So that if we believe the Apoftle, the Gofpel teacheth us the very fame things which Nature diftated to Men before 5 only it bath made a more perfeft difcovery of them. So that whatever was doubtful and obfcure before, is now certain and plain ; the Duties are (till the fame, only it offers us more powerful Arguments, and a greater Afíiítance to the performance of thofe Duties ; fo that we may now much better fay, than the Prophet could in his days, He bath fbewed thee, 0 Man, what is good 5 and what it is that theLord requires of thee. Fifthly, and lamy, God thews us what is good by the motions of his Spirit upon the Minds of Men. This the Scripture affures us of, and good Men have experience more efpecially ofit; though it be hard to give an account of it, and to fay what motions are from the Spirit of God, and what from our own Minds; for, as the wind blows where it lifieth, and we hear the found of it, but know not whence it comes, nor whither it goes; fo are the Operations of the Spirit of God upon the Minds of Men, fecret and imperceptible. And thus I have done with the three things I propounded to fpeak to. All that now remains, is to make force Inferences from what bath been Paid, by way of Application. Firs'1, Seeing God hath fo abundantly provided that we fhould know our Duty, we are altogether inexcufable, if we do not do ir. Becaufe he bath ¡hewed thee, 0Man, what it good, and what the Lord requires of thee 5 therefore thou
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=