258 Since Obedience the bell Preparation SERM. Now, if it be fo, it follows that they who X. do the will of God made known to them by wv the light of nature (hall know a doctrine that is of God, and diftinguifh between it and that which falfely pretends to that character; juít in the fame manner, and for the fame reafon, that they who fincerely obey a former true revelation are belt qualified to judge of a latter one. In the one cafe the honeft mind re- ceives the new divine doétrine becaufe it is agreeable to what he was before fatisfied God had revealed. In the other, becaufe he per- ceives it agreeable to what his reafon fully allured him before, was the will of God. And in both cafes it is the corrupt affeétions of men, as a law leading them into captivity to fin, which cafee them to rebel againft the light that makes manifJ1 their evil deeds, or occafions their unbelief. Nor can we rea- fonably doubt but the declaration of our Sa- viour in the text was intended by him to be underftood in this extenfive fenfe. For he knew and defigned that his gofpel fhould be preached to the Gentiles who never had any other pofitive revelation, as well as to the Jews, who had Moles and the prophets, and that it would meet with various reception among both. Therefore, the character and qua-
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