SERI. I.) NATURAL RELIGION, ITS USES AND DEFECTS. 15 Thus I have ,finished the three general heads of my discourse. I have shewrl you as fully as such a narrow space of time would permit, that there is some knowledge of God to be attained by the light of nature, that this knowledge.is'.made subservient to some valuable pur- poses in the providence And government, of God ; but that it hath such a variety of imperfections and defects, that considered in itself, it gives but feeble influences to repentance and hòliness, and very doubtful and uncom- fortable ground for a sure and satisfying hope to rest upon. I proceed to make a few reflections on this discourse. Reflection I. Since the rational knowledge of God and natural religion has its proper uses, and especially to lay a foundation for our receiving the gospel of Christ, let it not be despised or abandoned by any of us. There may be some, necessary occasions for our recourse to it in a day of temptation, when our faith of the gospel may be tried and shaken. The gospel with all its glories is built upon it as a solid foundation; and if these foun- the gospel points us to the " Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world," - and assures, us that " If we confess our sins; God is faithful 2nd just to forgive us our sins, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, rleanseth us from all unrighteousness ;" John i. 29. and 1 John i. 7, 9. The light of nature points us to no effectual Mediator, or Advocate in heaven; but the gospel leads us to Jesus, the righteous, as our Advocate with the Father, and by pardoning grace, encourages us to love and obey a reconciled God ; 1 John ii: 1, 2. The light of nature, and our daily experience, ,discover to us our weak- ness to subdue sin within us, to restrain our unruly appetites, to mortify our corrupt affections, to resist the daily temptations that surround us ; but it points us not to the Fountain of Strength, even the promised aids of the Holy Spirit : these are the peculiar glories and blessings of the gospel of Christ, which the light of nature could never reveal. The light of nature and continual observation shew us, that we must die, but give us no clear and certain evidence of happiness after death. for such sinful creatures as we are, even in the midst of our repentances for since our daily sins and offences are so numerous, and the best of our righteousnesses and duties are so very defective, the man of virtue and penitence might hope indeed to escape punishment ; but he might well doubt of any future happiness, notwithstanding all the comfort the light of nature couldgive him, or all the discoveries it could make. But the gospel sets these future-glories in a divine and certain light before every man, who reads or hears it. It encourages us to repentance of sin, to di- ligence, patience, and perseverance, in theways of faith and holiness, by the joys unspeakable, which are set before us, and builds our hope of eternal life on the well-attested promises of a God, whocannot lie, and the lien of God who has power given him toperform them all.
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