SERMON II.

JOHN xvii. 3.

This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jefus Chrift, whom thou haft fent.

To

HE contemplation of the being of God, and of his goodness to mankind, as difplayed in the immenfe variety there is in nature, and in the beauty, order, and excellency of the works of Creation. is a noble and delightful employment of the human mind. But this, glorious as it is, affords only a speculative or philofophical knowledge of God; fuch indeed as may convince an Atheist, but

not

not fatisfy the ardent defires of a Chriftian. To know or believe in general that there is a God, some supreme self-existent Being, who is the author of nature, who hath given life and being unto us, and to every other creature, muft undoubtedly yield us no small pleasure in the discovery, from the exercise and improvement of our intellectual faculties; but can fuggeft to us no nearer a relation to him, than that of Creator and Governour of the universe.

But how low and imperfect will this feem, when compared with that more useful and comfortable knowledge which we learn from the Gospel; this most reviving doctrine, God in Chrift, reconciling the world unto himselfa; and Christ in us, the hope of glory. This acquaints us with the near and dear relation which we bear to God 3 that he regards us not only as his creatures, but his children; that he looketh upon us with all the affectionate tenderness of a parent; that he hath provided all things for our well-being in this life, and fitted

2

Cor. v. 19.

▸ Col. i. 27.

us

us for eternal happiness in a future state; that by adoption and grace he hath exalted us to the high honour of becoming his fons, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven.

The metaphysical proofs of God are difficult and intricate, and generally beyond the reach of common capacities; but the Scriptures lay before us the plainest and moft amiable idea, of his being a God of infinite mercy, love, and confolation. To confider him in no higher light than as the author of nature, is next almost to the not knowing him at all: For, as St. Paul argues with his Roman converts, though the invifible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead; yet he maintains, that such knowledge is altogether infufficient for practice: Because, that when men knew God, or had thus traced out his footsteps by reafon and philofophy, they, neverthelefs, glorified him not as God. Though their minds were enlightened, and their

e Rom. 1. 20.

d Rom. i. 21.

under

understandings improved with this degree of natural knowledge; ftill their hearts were so darkened by polytheism and idolatry, that they changed the glory of the iucorruptible God, into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beafts, and creeping things. What a deplorable account is this of pagan theology! ferving however to convince us from fact, that fuch an imperfect knowledge of Religion which men derive from nature and reason, exclufive of Revelation, cannot preserve them either from the groffest idolatry and fuperftition, or from entertaining the lowest sentiments of the Deity. This is fufficiently apparent from the practice of all the heathen nations, which ever have been, or are still this day upon every part of the earth; who can be confidered in no other religious light, than as ignorant worShippers of an unknown God1.

This was the state of Religion, even in the politest and most civilized parts of the world, before the manifeftation of the Son of God in the flesh. Almoft, in the lite

• Rom. i. 23.

£ A&ts xvii. 23.

ral

ral fenfe of the words, they had no hope, and were without God in the world; ignorant of his true nature; and paying a blind service and homage to dumb idols of wood and ftone. To evince the vast disparity between Heathenifm and Christianity, and the miserable condition of the former, there cannot be a ftronger or more expreffive idea conveyed to us, than that constant and familiar image of darkness contrasted with light; which fo frequently occurs in Scripture, to denote the forlorn state of that spiritual death and wretched ignorance which univerfally prevailed; till God who commanded the light to fine out of darkness, fhined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face or person of Jefus Chrift; who is elsewhere defcribed as that true light, which, coming into the world, enlighteneth every man3.

i John i. 9. So is this verfe rendered by Doddridge in his Expofition, and by Beaufobre and Lenfant in their tranflation of the New Teftament, and by Dr. Hammond: Compare John iii. 13. xi. 27. and xii. 46, in his Annotations.

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