SERMON XLV. 85 Where therehas been nothing of this knowledge, mankind have almost lost their superior rank among the creatures, and degene- rated into abrutal nature. 3. This natural knowledge of God and his goodness, "Gives some encouragement to guilty creatures to repent of their sins, and to return to God by a general hope of acceptance, though they hadno promise of pardoning grace. And this was the very principle upon which some of the better sort of the gentiles set themselves to practise virtue, and to worship God and endeavour to become like him*. 4. This natural knowledge of God which is attainable by the light of nature, serves to vindicatethe conduct of God, as a right- eous governor in his severe dealings with obstinate and wilful sinners both here and hereafter. This will leave them without excuse inthe great day, when God shall judge the secrets of all hearts. Their own consciences will accuse them, and bear wit- ness against them. Rom. i. 20, 21. and ii. 15. Is Godunright- eous who talcethvengeance on suchsinners`.5 Godforbid,for how then * I do not say that natural religion can give sinful men a fall and satisfying assurance of pardon upon their repentance; for the deepest degrees of penitence cannot oblige a prince to forgive the criminal ; but still the overflowing goodness of God, his patience and long-suffering, notwithstanding their sins,may evidently and justly excite in their hearts some hope of forgiving grace: and I'think the words of my text cannot intend less than this, that God has not left them without witness, when he gave them rain from heaven, when he satisfied their appetites with food, andfilled their hearts with gladness. What was it that these benefits of their Cre- ator bore witness to ? Was it not that there was goodness and mercy to be found with him, if they would return to their duty, and abandon their own ways of idolatry and vice. Surely, it can never be supposed, that the apostle here means no more than to say, that the daily instances of divine bounty in the common comforts of life assured them, that God had some goodness in him, and blessings to bestow on their bodies, butgave them no hope of his acceptance of their souls, if they should return and repent never no sincerely. The Ninevites themselves, when threatened with destruction repented in sackcloth and ashes; for, said they, who can tell but Godwill turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that zee pe- rish not? Nor were they mistaken in their hope ; for God saw their works, that they turned from their evil say, and he repented of the evilthat he had threatened-; Jonah 5-10. And there is yet a more express text to this purpose ; Rom. ii.'4, Despises: thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering, nol know- ing that the goodness of God tearlelh thee to repentance ? And if God leads us to re- pentance, by a sense of Itis goodness, surely he gives hope that our repentance shall not be in van,: and though, perhaps, I could not affirm it with boldness, and certainty by mere light of reason, yet I may venture to declare, upon the encouragement of these scriptures, that if there should be found any sinner in the heathen world, who shall be thus far wrought upon by a sense of thegoodness of God, as to be led sincerely to repent of sin, and seek after mercy, God would find a nay to make a discovery of so much of the gospel, as was necessary for him to know, rather than such a penitent sinner should be left under condemna- tion, or that a guilty creature should go on to eternal death in 'the any of repen- tance. Cornelius, the centurion, who feared God, who prayed to him daily, and wrought righteousness, wording to the light Of his conscience, had both an an- gel and an apostle sent to hint that lie might receive more complete instruction in the matters ofhis salvation, Acts x. 1 -6.and from 50-55. c i
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=