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NATURAL
ItLIGIO?r,
ÍTS
USES
ANb
bEFECTS.
tSERM.
1.
or
should
have.
had
.
for
this knowledge
`of
Gdd,
which
.
was
attained
by
their
own
reason, suffered the gentile
nations
to walk in
their
own ways, as my
text
expresseth
it;
Acts
xiv. 16.
Wretched
and perverse
ways
of
ido-,
latry
and
mad
superstition,
with
regard
to God, and
falsehood, treachery, hatred,
malice, envy,
towards their
fellow-
creatures.
See
the iniquities numbered up
in
a
large and detestable catalogue
;
Rom.
i.
E3-32.
The
histories
of
the heathen world, confirm these dismal
ac-
counts
given us
by
the sacred
writers, and
enforce the
charge
upon
them with
abundant
proof. And
'
it
is
no
wonder
at
all,
that
this knowledge
had
so
little influence
on the generality,
of
mankind; when
so few
of
them
ever
attained
it,
when
it
was so
imperfect
as to
the discoveries
of
it,
and
so
dim and feeble in its evidences.
It
came
into
their. heads
a.
little,
but
it
reached not
to
their
hearts:
or
if
it
did touch them,
it
was
but
feebly,
and
with very small
authority,
and
was
not
enforced upon
the conscience
with
" Thus saith
the
Lord."
.
A
single
sentence,
with
this preface, has vastly
greater power
on
the
hearts and
consciences of
men,
than
whole volumes
of
their dark uncertain
reasonings.
4.
This
knowledge
of God
by
the
light
of nature,
"
doth
rather
serve to
spew
men
their
sin
and
misery,
than
discover any effectual
relief
;"
and
in
this respect,
it
comes infinitely
short of what the
revelation
of the
gospel
of Christ
has done.
It
lays
them
under
guiltand
a
sentence
of
death
in
their
own
consciences;
but it
dis-
covers
not
the,
plain and certain
way
of
salvation
and
life
:
The
hope
that it
gives
is
but
feeble,
and there
are
.
but
few
who
could
spell
it out
*.
*
This might be exemplified
in several
particulars.
The
light of
na-
ture
of itself
gives no assurance
of forgiveness
to
the repenting sinner;
for
the
repentance
of
men
is no
compensation to
a
holy
God, to God
as
a
Governor of the world,
for
their perpetual
rebellions against
his
laws,
and
the
daily dishonour
done
to his
authority. Such knowledge
as
the Nine
-
vites
had,
Jonah
iii.
9.
when
they
said,
"
Who can tell but
the Lord may
turn
away from his fierce
anger
?"
is.but
a feeble
motive
to
repentance
and
new obedience, in comparison of
such a word
from God himself
;
as
Ex.
xxxiv.
6.
"
And
the Lord
passed
by before him,
and proclaimed,
the
'Lord, the
Lord
God,
merciful and gracious;
long
-
suffering,
and
abundant
in
goodness and
truth,
forgiving iniquity, transgression and
sin.
Proa.
xxviii.
13.
"
He
that
confesseth
and forsaketh
his sins
shall
find
mercy."
The light
of
nature
discovers
no
effectual
atonement
for sin,
nor relief
to
a
guilty conscience, by
.all
tile costly
sacrifices
and
blood
of
animals
;
but