VeR. 21.] SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27, 461
drink, whore, and play away their consciences. There are none but have a conscience till they get the victory of it, and smother it, and outgrow the feelings and checks of it, and lose all sense : Eph. iv. 19, 'Who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uucleanness with greediness.' They might have lived virtuously and morally, till they brought upon themselves the tyranny of evil custom, and then no wonder if they are wholly given up to sen- sual lusts, and to walk in a sinful way. They have lost all former advantages, they have spoiled their natural temper, they have lost the benefit of their education, despised instruction, and the discipline of parents, lived in defiance of laws, ' received the grace of God in vain,' 2 Cor. vi. 1. In a word, they have slighted God's judgments, quenched their gifts, checked the motions of God's Spirit. Therefore certainly they are altogether without excuse that out-sin these helps. Katural conscience, temper, education, laws, ordinances, providences, and the Spirit's motions, they are all helps, and God forsakes men in none of these till they first forsake him, and by some notable sin provoke him to withdraw such helps ; and therefore what will you say for yourselves that have not any of these amiable qualities and moral endowments ? Will you say you would fain be better, but cannot ? That cannot be, for many of these amiable qualities are found in natural men, and you have had many helps and advantages either to get or increase them in your souls. If many moral heathens go to hell that had not half those helps, and yet were exemplary in so many amiable qualities, what will become of you, if you refuse all the helps which God hath vouchsafed to you in his providence, and yet run into enormous evils ?
Use 2. If there may be amiable qualities in unregenerate men, then do not rest in these things : Mat. v. 46, ' If you love them that love you, what reward have you ? do not even the publicans the same ? ' and ver. 47, rt —epiaaov, ' What do you more than others ? ' AVhat over and above ? A natural man may have all these. You may live orderly, and yet if you have not faith you cannot please God : Heb. xi. 6, ' For without faith it is impossible to please God.' You may be blameless, yet if you be not born again, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven : John iii. 3, 'Except a man be born again, he can- not see the kingdom of God.' Therefore do not rest in this, that you have some good qualities which are amiable and praiseworthy before God and men, but labour for the sanctifying virtue of God's Spirit, and the power of godliness, that you may be ' partakers of the divine nature,' 2 Peter i. 4 ; for if thy heart be not yet truly changed, thy person may be odious to God. It is not mine, but the advice of Jesus Christ, ' Make the tree good, and his fruit good,' Mat. xii. 33. A man may carry the fruits of Canaan, as the spies did, upon a dry stafi"; but learn to bear them from a living root. To be harmless, meek, chaste, just, temperate, all this is good ; but it is much better when they flow from a renewed heart ; then they are gracious evidences to you. A good nature without grace makes a fair show with the world, but it is of little respect with God as to your salvation. All this may be from temper and awe of men„ How may a man mistake a still nature for meekness, fervency and height of spirit for zeal, want of affection to holy things for discretion, stupidity for patience, obstinacy for constancy !
462 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27 [SeR. V.
But God knows how to distinguish. Will complexion and temper ever pass for grace in God's account ? And usually if a natural man hath one good quality, he hath another bad one to match it. It is observed in history of Alexander, that he was an enemy to uncleanness, but ex- tremely given to drunkenness. Julius Cassar was not given to drunken- ness, but exceedingly addicted to uncleanness. Natural men, if they liave their amiable qualities, they have some domineering bad quality to match them. Nay, a good nature once corrupted doth prove the worst of all others, as the sweetest wine makes the tartest vinegar. Augustus l at first was of a good merciful nature. Suetonius observes of him that he was at first loath to consent to the persecution, but when he was once in, he was more inexorable and merciless than the rest of his companions. None have done more vile things against God and the interest of God than men accounted of a good nature, when once the temptation hath prevailed upon them. Herod Agrippa was a sweet- natured popular man, but he slew James, and would have slain Peter also, Acts xii. 1, 2, and all out of easiness and facility, to please the people. Usually none fall sooner into the snare of persecution and hatred of the saints of God than they ; and the reason is, counsel is of great advan- tage upon those that are of a pliant and pleasing disposition, and all their parts and excellences are but like a sword in a cutler's shop, as ready for the thief as the true man to purchase. He is easily made a prey to Satan and turned against God ; therefore do not rest in these things.