[3.] Natural conscience doth not do duties out of gratitude or thankfulness, but the great gospel-principle is gratitude. If there were no law to bind a regenerate man, yet he would not be ungrateful to God ; but nature is rather prone to a sin-offering than a thank- offering. When our consciences are troubled, that we may lick ourselves whole again, then carnal men would perform duties, but not out of thankfulness to God. Under the law, when they came with their burnt-offerings, they were to offer to God a thank-offering, Lev. vi. 12. God will have thankfulness attend all our obedience ; but natui'e only performs duties when we are troubled.
[4.] Natm-al conscience convinceth us of the duty, but not of the goodness of the duty ; it shows us the need, but not the worth of woi'ship; therefore there is a rising of heart, and a great deal of prejudice against that we perform. It makes a man to do duties, because he dares not do otherwise. Still the service of God is a burden and a weariness : they look upon God as an austere and hard master. Mat. XXV. 24. They think God is too strict, too exact, and deals with them upon justice ; but where love and giace is the principle, there * the commandments are not grievous,' 1 John v. 3 ; but we act with a great deal of delight and complacency in them.
[5.] Natural conscience works but at times, when convictions are strongest ; it makes us mind duty in a sick qualm. When terror flashes in the face of a natural man, then he will apply himself to God. Usually a natural conscience doth use duties just as we take strong waters, not for a constant drink, — then they would mar the stomach, — but only to help us at a pang ; so when we are in trouble, then nature chiefly puts us upon duty, then we are most enlarged and quickened: Hos. v. 15, 'In their aflfliction they will seek me early;' wiien distress is laid upon them : Jer. ii. 27, ' In the time of their trouble ihey will cry, Lord ! save us.' All the duties of natural men are forced out of them, like water out of a still, by a sense of wrath ; they come not so freely as from a sense of love.
452 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL [SeR. XIV.
Use 2. If it be so, that carnal men may join with the people of God in duties of worship, here is direction ; in all your duties put your hearts to this question, Wherein do I excel a hypocrite ? So far a natural man may go. As Christ said, Mat. v. 47, ' Do not even the publicans the same?' When thou art praying and hearing, and thy heart doth not go out with such delight and complacency to God, say, May not a carnal man do this ? A christian should do duties in a •distinguishing manner, that there should be a sensible difference between them and others.
Ques. But you will say, wherein lies the essential difference between the performances of carnal men and the children of God ? This must be the work of the next doctrine.
SERMON XIV.
JBy faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Gain, hy which lie obtained witness that he ivas ricjldeous, God testifying of his gifts ; and by it he, being dead, yet speaketh — Heb. xi. 4.
Doct. 2. That there is a sensible difference between the godly and the wicked in their several duties and performances.
1. Why it is so ?
2. What is the difference ?
First, Why the children of God act in a different manner than the wicked ?
Ans. They have another nature, and other assistance.
1. They have another nature than wicked men. Water can rise no higher than its fountain ; acts are according to their causes ; nature can but produce a natural act. The children of God have the spirit of grace bestowed upon them : Zech. xii. 10, ' I will pour upon them the spirit of grace and of supplication.' First of grace, then of suppli- cation ; therefore their addresses come out of a principle of grace. A new work requires a new nature. As Christ spake in the matter of fasting : Mat. ix. 12, ' New wine must not be put into old bottles ; ' new wine and old bottles will never suit. Duties well done will make natural men either weary of their natural estate, or their natural estate will make them quite weary of their duty.
2. They have other assistance. The children of God have a mighty Spirit to help them : Jude 20, ' Praying in the Holy Ghost' They pray not merely by the strength of parts, but by the Spirit. Natural men have only the rigour of natural parts, and some general assistance, whereby their gifts are heightened for the use of the church and good of the body, but they have not the special operation of the Holy Ghost ; therefore, let theni do what they can, they can never get up their worship to that height and latitude unto which godly men are raised. Look as in Elijah's'time, 1 Kings xviii. 38, there was a contest between him and Baal's priests, the fire came down and devoured Elijah's