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X.

Hebr. xi.

10. 13.

They confeffed, that they were pilgrims and SERM. ftrangers on the earth: and looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. The meaning therefore of that text is, in general, that the doctrine of a future ftate had been fet in a much clearer light by the gofpel, than before.

12.

Obj. 3. St. Paul writing to the Chriftians at Ephefus, who were once in the darkneffe of Heathenism, reminds them: that at that Eph. ii. time they were without Chrift, being alienated from the commonwealth of Ifrael, and strangers from the covenants of promife, having no hope, and without God in the world.

21. 32.

But thefe expreffions fhould not be understood abfolutly, as if those persons had not, and could not have, any knowledge of God, or hopes from him. For in the epiftle to the Romans the Apostle fays of Gentil people, that whereas they knew God, they Rom. i. glorified him not as God: and that they knew the judgement of God, though they did not act accordingly, Therefore thofe Ephefians alfo, before their converfion to Christianity, were without God, and without hope, comparativly. They had not that knowledge, and that hope, which they now had through the

gof

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SERM. gofpel, nor which the Jews had; they having been, in their Gentil ftate, ftrangers from the covenants of promife, delivered to that people.

Obj. 4. Still it may be urged: Would it not be more for the honour of the gospel, to suppose, that a future ftate is an entirely new discoverie? Would it not tend to induce people, who have only the light of nature, to embrace the Chriftian religion, if they were told, that they have not any ground at all for the belief of a future life, and that revelation alone can give men hopes of it?

I anfwer: No. This would not be of ufe. If you met a Heathen, who already had an apprehenfion of future recompenfes for good and bad: [Which is certainly the general expectation of all people upon the face of the earth: though their ideas may be low and imperfect, yet however fomewhat inviting and agreeable for the good, and difagreeable and frightful for the bad:] would you venture to tell him, that he has no foundation for fuch a belief? and

that it is to be had from the gofpel only? I think, we fhould be cautious of faying any

thing, which would tend to diminish in men SERM. honorable apprehenfions of the Deity.

It cannot but be of advantage for men to have honorable fentiments of God, as a being of wisdom, power, righteoufneffe, goodneffe and equity. Otherwife, what reafon can they have to receive a revelation, which may be depended upon as true and genuine?

And it must always be fufficient to induce men to receive a revelation, to fhew them, that it has uncontefted marks and evidences of a divine original, from miraculous works performed in fupport of it: and that it affords men many advantages, fuperior to thofe of the light of nature.

X.

Accordingly, St. Paul was not wont to deny or contest, but to emprove the natural notions, which men had of religion. This we perceive in his difcourfe at Athens, faying: God that made the world, and all things A&s xvii. therein, does not dwell in temples made with 24. 25. bands: neither is he worshiped with mens hands,

And, that he is

For in him we 27...29.

as if he needed any thing.
not far from every one of us.
live, and move, and have our being.
tain alfo of your own poets have faid:
are alfo his offspring. Forafmuch then,

As cer

For we

as we

are

SERM.

X.

are the offspring of God; we ought not to think, that the Godhead is like unto gold, or filver,

or ftone, graven by art and man's device. And in another difcourfe to Heathen people he xiv. 17. fays: God had not in former times left himJelf without witneffe, though he had not given them an exprefs revelation, forafmuch as he did good, and gave us rain, and fruitful feafons, filling our hearts with food and gladneffe.

i. 6. 7.

And it feems to me, that St. Paul often argues the truth and certainty of future recompenfes, in a rational way, much in the fame manner that we have now done, from the confideration of the prefent ftate of things, 2 Theff. and the perfections of the Divine Being: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God, to recompenfe tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled, refl with us, when the Lord Jefus fhall be revealed from heaven, to take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel. This, he says, is a righteous thing with God: that is, it is reasonable, and fit, and becoming the divine perfection.

Heb. xi.

6.

...

And in the epiftle to the Hebrews it is faid: He that cometh to God, muft believe, that he is,

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and that he is a rewarder of them that dili- SERm. gently feek him. Which is as much, as to fay, that there can be no religion without believing, that God is, and that he is a rewarder of virtuous and upright, and an avenger of evil men. If therefore the light of nature does not teach these principles, there can be no natural religion: and they who have not the benefit of revelation, are excufable in their irregularities. But that is contrarie to the Apostle's long and full argument at the begining of the epiftle to the Romans. Where he fays: That which may be known of Rom. i. God is manifeft in them: ... For the invifible 19...21. things of him from the creation of the world are clearly feen, being understood by the things that are made. So that they are without excufe: because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. And again: As many as have fined without law: that is, who have not had the benefit of revelation: shall also perish without law. They fhall not be but by the laws

judged by a revealed law,

and rules of reason only.

3. In the third place I proposed to take notice of fome enquiries, relating to this

mat

ii. 12.

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