SEAM. I.1 NATURAL RELIGION, ITS USES AND DEFECTS. 11 the unrighteousness and ungodliness of the heathen world: Rom. i. 18. So in the wòrld to come, not one condemned sinner shall be able to say, God is unjust: Every mouth shall be stopped, and the heavens and the earth proclaim his righteousness, when he shall- appear in his Son Jesus at the last day, as the judge of all man-. kind. 5. This knowledge of Go_d by natural light prepares the way for preaching and receiving the gospel of his- brace: and'that he loth many ways, viz. Unless men pre first acquainted that there is a God, who can make known his mind and will to men, 'what ground is there for preaching any discoveries of his mind and will amongst them? Unless the heathens are taught that he is a God of all knowledge, and cannot be de- ceived himself; and that he is kind and good, true and faithful, and will not deceive his creatures, how can they be persuaded to believe what he reveals ? Unless they are instructed by the light of reason, that he is an Almighty God and the Lord of Nature, how can any miracle give testimony to the truth of what he reveals ? For it is as the Sovereign Lord of nature, that he sets the seal of a miracle to his divine truths; 'a miracle which is above the power of nature to work. Again, when sinners, by the light and law of nature in their own consciences are laid under conviction of sin and guilt, and they are in fear of the wrath of God, they become more ready to receive the gospel of pardon and salvation as glad tidings from heaven. We see the great apostle St. Paul wisely' managing his ministry to the Athenians, of which we, have but short hints in Acts xvii. Q2,---30. By discoursing first on na- tural religion, he comes at last to awaken men to re- pentance, and preaches Jesus with the resurrection of the dead and eternaljudgment, .verse 31. And agreeably to this method of propagating the gospel among the heathen nations, we find, in fact, that where there was any thing of the knowledge of the true God, either by the light of nature, or by tradition, there the gospel was soonest received ; the minds of men were better fitted and prepared for faith in Christ, the Son of God, by this degree of knowledge of God the Father. Those who in the book of the Acts are stiled the devout
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