Ver.1g 2o. the Epifite totbe Romanes. which things they faw God the firft caufe could not be withottr; Peeing men, which were his effe& and worke, had filch qualities in them Whereas this knowledge is Paid here to be mannikin them) it is expounded by Chap.2. v.5 5. written in their hearts, neither in the creatures, nor the Philofophers, nor a- mong them,nor to them, but in them - felves, even with in their hearts r by which it is laine, that hee nowfpeakes not ofthe Jewes,which had their know- ledge of God from the word, but of the Gentiles and of thofe inward notions and principles which be naturall;wher- offonie be contemplative,fhewing them of God that he is, and what one he is: and Tome pra &icke, teaching them the difference betweene that is godly and wicked,juft andwrong,honeIt and un- honeff, morally good and evill. Hence outwardly did arife the feeds of Arts, Sciences, and Difciplines, and within a confcience, judging of a mans owne deeds, whether good or ill, and admo- ni(hing ofthe divine judgement, appro- ving and rewarding w hat is well done, abhorring and revenging evil! a&ions; asChap.z.ee.This juftifieth that fay- ing of /I/teepee, that by Adams fall all fupernaturall things(fuch as enabled to pleafeGod,and concerned eternal] life) are quite loft; whereas mans natural( gifts are but onely wounded and im- paired,not wholly extin &,fo much abi- ding as is fufficient to free him from ex cufe,notto bring him to eternall life: that muff be done by the Grace which - Chriti hath brought in the revelation of theGofpell as before,verfe 15;16,17. Tr M. Wbe gave them this knowledge ? Sir.. God himfelfe, who is the Au- thor of true knowledge,as it is written, God (hewed it them : This witneffeth to us, that betide naturali light of minde,Gód did concurre withal], con - tinually helping nature, and the weak- neffe of naturali difcoarfe, giving ftrengtb to naturali faculties and pow- ers ( much maymed by original! cor- ruption;)that they might do their office the better,in colleEìing and concluding effe&s by confideration of caufes, Hence 3 1 it came that amongft the Heathens there were Inch worthy men,as Plato, Arif a. tie, Seerater, Seneca, Pliny, PIautu,, and Paracelfue, befìdes others moe which havedivedfodeepe into thefecrets of nature, and have writtenfo many true things very learnedly, both of celeftiall creatures,and humane duties ; even be- caufe God was prefent by efficacie tò ftirre up thole inftru&ions and princi- ples which himfelfe had firft engraven in mans natureaf any be defirous to know what the meanes are, by which God (hewed and manifefted in them what might be known of him ; it was neither inquifition and fearch of the written word,nor illumination of the Spirit, nor humane inftru&ion,nor An- gelical) revelation,nor miraculous ope- rations,ordivine vifions, for there were the priviledges of his Church and peo- ple ; but the mean es were meere natu- rall,as principles ingraffed, difcourfe of real Anted with a divine concur - ren e,and obfervation of the creatures, by which ( being vifible ) well marked and duely confidered,their mindes were ere &ed (as by a ladder) to thinke upon the nature and properties of God, which were infenlble and invilble. For God being an effence feparated from matter, and not fubje& to fenfe , muft be perceived of men by fouie outward liignes of words (as to the Jewes)of crea- tures as to the Gentiles ; who by the be- holding and experience of things crea- ted,bave their knowledge of the Crea- toi-more and more publilhed and en- creafed. The Do &rine or leffon which from all this we are to learne, it is, that whatfoever knowledg ofGod or duties the Gentiles got, they were beholding to God for it : who though he ufed cer- taine Organs and inftruments both withinman, and without him, to en- gender this knowledge, yet this honour (tilt remaines to God,that bee is the Au- thor and giver ofit, and hence is enti- tled a Geld of knowledge: which fervett to reprove fuch of wicked unthankful- neffe,as forgettingGod,doe aferibe their great knowledge w divine,náturall, and humane things unto their owne iu- duftry.
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