SERMON XLV. 9 rather serve to skew men their sinand 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 guilt and a sentence ofdeath in their own consciences ; but it discovers not the plain and certain way of salvation and life: The hope that it gives is but feeble, and there are butfew who could spell it outs. Thus I havefinished the three general heads ofmy discourse. I have shewn 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 purposes in the providence and government of trod ; but that it kath such a variety ofimperfections and defects, that considered in itself, it gives but feeble influences to repen- tance and holiness, and very doubtful and uncomfortable ground * This might be exemplified in several particulars, The light of nature of itself gives no assurance of forgiveness to the repenting sinner; for the repent- ance of men is no eompensaiion 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 Ninevites had. Jonah ii. 9. when they said, r. 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 Lordpassed by before him, and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, merciful andgracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. Prov. xxviil. 13. He that confesseth andforsaketf his, sins shallfind mercy. , 'rhe light of nature discovers no effectual atonement for sin, norrelief to a guilty conscience by all the costly sacrifices and blood of animals; but the gospel points as to the "Lambof God that taketh away the sinsof the world,"and assures us that ifwe confess our sins, God isfaithful andjust to forgive us our sins, and the blood ofJesus Christ his Son, cleanseth asfrom all unrighteousness ; John i. 22. and I John i. 1 -9. The light of nature points an to no effectual Mediator, or Advocate in heaven ; but the Gospel leads on to Jesus the righteous, as our Advocatewith the Father, and bypardoning 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 weakness to subdue sin within us, to restrain our unruly appetites, to mor- tify, 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 Sprint; these are the peculiar gloriesand blessings of the gospel of Christ which the light of nature could neverreveal. The light of nature and continual observation slimy us that we must die, but give as no clear and certain evidence of happinessAfter death, for such sin- ful-creatures as we are, even in the midst of our repentances : for since our daily sins and offences are sonumerous, and the best of our righteousnesses and duties are no very defective, the man of virtue and penitence might hope indeed to escape punishment ; but he might well doubt of any future happiness, notwith- standing all the comfort the light of nature could give him, or all the discoveries it could make. Bot the gospel sets these future glories in a divine and certain light before every manwho reads or hears it. It encourages us to repentance of sin, to diligence, patienceand perseverance in the ways of faith and holiness, by the joys unspeakable, whichare set before us, and builds our hope ofeternal Life on the well-attested promises of a God who cannot lie, and the bon of God who has power given him toperform them- alt.
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