ASI STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS OF HUMAN REASON. such a proposition. And to make this plain, Sir, be pleased to observe these three things : First, that the persons he speaks òf, in the first chapter, are chiefly the learned heathens, or at least the inhabitants of the countries where learning flourished, such as Egypt, Greece, Asia, Rome, &c. such as had foundout sad known the being and chief attributes of God by his works, such as knew the true God, and professed themselves to be wise; see verses le, 20, 21, 22. But the apostle does not say, that their knowledge reached so far as to lead them tosalvation, thoughby not worshipping and honour- ing God, so far as they knew him, they rendered themselves in- excusable. Verses 20, 21. They did not glorify him as God when they knew him ; they were not thankfeel for his mercies ; they became idolaters, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God, into theimages of"-corruptible man, and triter birds, andfourfooted beasts, andcreeping things, and worshipped the creaturemore than the Creator. Verses 23, 25. They did not like to retain God in their knowledge, and therefore they are without excuse. Verses 20, 21, 28. Their foolish heart was darkened, and they were justly abandoned of God, and given up to all manner of ini- quity. They vvilfully shnt their eyes against the light, and therefore God, in his righteous judgment, sealed up their eyes, and gave them up to a mind void of discernment, as many of our critics render the word oiloxttsos, and thus their own reason, by their abuse of it, was rendered more insufficient than it was be- fore; their minds had gained a strong bias toward error, as a natural consequence of their sin and folly, and then, as a right- eous judgment from heaven, they were abandoned to follow those errors without any restraints of providence or grace. In the second place let it be considered, that when the apos- tle says, Rom. ii. 14, 15. that the work of the law is written in their hearts he can never mean, that the knowledge of the laws of God and their duty practically sufficient for their future hap- piness, is actually found in the hearts of all the heathen world : For this is so contrary to plain fact in the barbarous nations, that the apostle could never intend to assert it. All that it can be supposed to mean therefore is this, that there is a natural and re- mote sufficiency in their hearts, or their reasoning powers, to find out their duty, which I have already granted ; .and that there are several of the more obvious and common instances wherein their consciences do actually know their duty, and excuse them when they practise it, or abcuse them when they neglect it. And this in some measure, is true concerning the rudest and most ig- norant nations of the earth, that there are particular instances of duty, and some particular rules of honesty, justice, and com- passion, which their consciences sometimes may actually repre- sent to them; and according to their compliance cr non -coin-
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