IO INWARD WITNESS TO CHRISTIANITY. [SERM: -1. God would be gracious to you or me, compassionate to such ill-deserving sinners, as we are, the light of nature could never determine. It is only the Son of God, that carne down from the bosom of the Father, could so well inform us how the Father's heart worked towards such sinners, in the designs of pardon and reconciliation. 2. Again, the light of nature could never tell us, how often Godwouldpardon sinners. Suppose it could be found out by reason that God is so compassionate that lie would forgive offences, yet it could never be inferred bow often we could be forgiven; and ifhe had pardoned us once, we might for ever despair if we had committed new iniquities : For who but a divine messenger can tell us, that he will often repeat his pardons? 3. The light of nature could never inform us how great the offences were that could beforgiven; reason could never tell us, the rebellions of the biggest size, and treasons of the blackest aggravation, should be all can- celled; the light of nature could never say, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men. This the Sonof God only hath taught us, who came from the bosom of the Father, and who laid a foundation for the brightest displays of pardoning grace. 4. Reason, with all the principles of natural religion, could never teach us what we must do to obtainpardon, and on what terms God would forgive. Reason indeed might require us to repent of sin, but it could never as- sure us, that he that coifesseth, and forsaketh his sin, shallfindmercy. Nor could it chew us-any mediator or reconciler between God and man, nor how, or in what manner, we must address ourselves to him, or to an of- fended God by him ; reason could never start a thought of this strange way of salvation, that we must believe, or trust in another's sufferings, in order to the pardon of our own sins; that we must depend on the merits and right- eousness of one that died, in order to obtain forgive- ness and life ; that by faith in the blood of Christ, God willjustify/ them that believe in Jesus. What could the light of mere nature teach us concerning this Jesus ? And yet there is no other name under heaven whereby, we can be saved, Acts iv. 12. 5. The light of nature, or any religion invented by"
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