[2.] To satisfy the desires of nature. There are two things that render us unsatisfied with the light of nature — an insatiable desire of knowledge in the soul, and a trouble of heart about misery, sm, and death.
(1.) An insatiable desire of more knowledge, and full satisfaction concerning God and the way to enjoy him. Eeason, you know, is the property aiid excellency of man, and his privilege above the beasts ; now reason desires to replenish itself with knowledge and perfection in its kind. The stomach no more desires true food for sustenance than a man doth knowledge. Man that is born to know hath a strong desire to it, and delight in it when it is increased. This was Adam's bait in paradise : Gen. iii. 6, * The tree was good for food, and pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one w^ise.' And it is a mighty delectation, even to man's natural soul, to view any truth ; the contem- plation of it is a mighty rejoicing and delight. Therefore the word of God may beget, even in natural men, such a kind of delecta- tion : Ps. xix. 10, ' More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than fine gold; sweeter also than the honey and the honeycomb.' They rejoice the soul because they fill it with light. That there is such an impatient thirst and desire after more knowledge than we have in ourselves appears by the very idolatry of the Gentiles ; they were unsatisfied with their own thoughts, they would know more, and that was the reason they were so ready to close with every fancy that was offered to them. As a man that is very hungry, and almost famished, will fasten upon any food that comes next to hand, many times that which is most hurtful and noxious, so man, being desirous of some more knowledge concerning the nature of God, when he can meet with no other, he fastens upon gross superstitions and fables, whatever comes next to hand. Some outward rule and direction they will have, a bad one rather than none at all, out of a despair to find a better.
(2.) As there is an impatient thirst and desire after knowledge, so there is a trouble in conscience about misery, death, and sin. This bondage is natural, and we cannot be eased of it without some know- ledge of a means of reconciliation. Nature is full of inquiries which way God will be pleased : Micali vi. 6,7,' Wherewith shall I come
430 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XXVII.
before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God ? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old ? will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil ? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ? ' What shall I do to pacify God ? This is the great inquiry of nature. Nature knows that some satis- faction must be given to offended justice ; and until conscience have a firm ground of rest it will not be quiet. This put the heathens upon such barbarous actions as giving the first-born for the sin of their soul ; and this made the Jews so unsatisfied ; they looked no farther than the sacrifice : Heb. ix. 9, ' In which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as per- taining to the conscience ; that is, their conscience had no firm ground of satisfaction and quiet by sacrifices. Therefore you shall see how God makes use of this advantage, this dissatisfaction, without some external rule, and the knowledge of means how to be reconciled : Jer. vi. 16, ' Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, Where is the good way ? and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.' As if the Lord had said. There is now a dissatisfaction, a natural bondage upon man. Now look to all the religions in the world, see where you can find rest for your souls. God leaves it upon that issue and determination. These things show there must be some external rule for guiding of the creature. It is for^God's glory, for the safety of religion, to repair the defects of nature and to satisfy the desires of nature.
Secondly, What is God's word ? This is necessary to be cleared ; for the question is not so much, whether God's word be truth? as whether this or that be the word of God or no ? This will be easily granted by every one that hath the sense of a godhead, that what God speaks must needs be true ; for God is so infinitely wise that he can- not be deceived, and so infinitely just and true that he will not deceive us, and so omnipotent that he cannot be jealous of our knowledge, and so gracious that he is not envious of our knowledge, as the devil would insinuate : Gen. iii. 5, ' For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.' It will be no infringement to his interest if we should know his nature and his will. But the great question is, what we should take for the word of God ? Now that we may have a sure ground in this kind, let us consider how he hath revealed himself to man. The dispensations of God are several: — (1.) To Adam; (2.) To the world ; (3.) To the church.