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JOHN iii. 16.

God so loved the World, that he gave his onlybegotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him fhould not perish, but have everlasting Life.

N this Paffage of Scripture, and in many others, the Redemption of the World by Chrift Jefus is ascribed to the Love and GoodWhatever

nefs of God towards Mankind. other Difficulties Men may find in the Gospel, one would suppose that it might be admitted to be, at leaft, a good Representation of the divine Mercy towards Mankind, and fully to difplay that Tenderness and Compaffion to our Weakneffes and Infirmities, which we all hope for, and with

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fome Reason expect to receive, from our great Creator, whofe Mercy is over all his Works.

The Cafe being fo, who would expect to hear any Objection against the Gospel derived from the Topics of divine Mercy and Goodnefs? Yet fome there are, who think the Mercy of the Gospel to be imperfect, and that Nature gives far better Hopes to all her Children. They conceive the Infirmities of human Nature to be unavoidable, and the Mercy of God to be infinite; and from these Confiderations they raife Hopes as unbounded as they conceive the Mercy to be. As they derive these strong Affurances from natural Reason, they conceive all Promises of Mercy to be unneceffary, and therefore to be fufpected; and the Argument is worked up not only to be an Objection against the Gofpel Revelation, but against all Revelations, either paft or to come.

There is nothing of more Confequence to the Credit and Authority of Revelation, than to reconcile it to the natural Notions and the natural Hopes and Expectations of Mankind; and indeed the Promises of the Gospel and the Hopes of Nature are founded on the fame common Principles. Afk a Christian,

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why did God redeem Mankind by fending his Son into the World? he must answer, because Men were Sinners, weak, and miferable, and unable to rescue themselves from their wretched Condition. Ask him, what moved God to exprefs fo much Concern for fuch worthless Objects? he must resolve it into the Goodness, and Tenderness, and paternal Affection of God, with which he embraces all the Sons of Men.

Afk the Deift, upon what Grounds he has Hope and Confidence towards God? he will reply, That he conceives it impoffible for a beneficent Being to be rigorous and fevere towards the Crimes and Follies of fuch weak, foolish, and impotent Creatures, as Men: That their Iniquities, though against the Light of Nature, yet flow from a Defect in the Powers of Nature; fince 'tis no Man's Fault that he is not ftronger, or wifer, or better, than he was made to be: And therefore, though the Light of Reason renders him accountable for his Actions, yet his Want of Power to do what his Reafon approves, will make his Defects excufable in the Sight of his equitable Judge.

You see how nearly Natural Religion and the Gofpel are allied in the Foundation of

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their Hopes and Expectations. 'Tis pity fuch near Friends, who have one common Intereft, fhould have any Disputes. But Disputes there are.

Far be from us to weaken the Hopes of Nature. The Gofpel is no Enemy to these Hopes; fo far otherwise, that all the Hopes and Expectations of Nature are so many Preparations to the Gofpel of Christ, and lead us to embrace that Mercy offered by Christ, which Nature fo long and fo earnestly has fought after.

But the Question is, whether these natural Hopes can give us fuch Security of Pardon, and of Life and Immortality, as will justify us in rejecting the Light of Revelation? Now, whoever depends on the Forgiveness of God, admits himself to be in a Cafe that wants Pardon; that is, admits himself to be a Sinner. This being the Cafe of Mankind in general, let it be confidered,

First, That Natural Religion could not be originally founded in the Confideration of Man's being a Sinner, and in the Expectation of Pardon.

Secondly, That the Hopes which we are able to form in our prefent Circumstances, are too weak and imperfect to give us entire Satisfaction.

Thirdly,

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