1. The religion of the _Heathens_, and the best of philosophers, could never assure us, _Whether God would pardon sin at all, or no_. The light of nature indeed would dictate thus much, that God is, in his own nature, gracious, and compassionate, and kind; but whether God would be gracious to you or me, compassionate to such ill-deserving sinners, as we are, the light of nature could never determine. It is only the Son of God, that came down from the bosom of the Father, could so well inform us how the Father’s heart worked towards such sinners, in the designs of pardon and reconciliation. 2. Again, the light of nature could never tell us, _how often God would pardon sinners_. Suppose it could be found out by reason that God is so compassionate, that he could forgive offences, yet it could never be inferred how often we would be forgiven; and if he had pardoned us once, we might for ever despair if we had committed new iniquities: For who but a divine messenger can tell us, that he will often repeat his pardons? 3. The light of nature could never inform us _how great the offences were that could be forgiven_; reason could never tell us, that rebellions of the biggest size, and treasons of the blackest aggravation, should be all cancelled; the light of nature could never say, _All manner of sin, and blasphemy, shall be forgiven to men_. This the Son of God hath only taught us, who came from the bosom of the Father, and who laid a foundation for the brightest displays of pardoning grace. 4. Reason, with all the principles of natural religion, could never teach us _what we must do to obtain pardon_, and on what terms God would forgive. Reason indeed might require us to repent of sin, but it could never assure us, that _he that confesseth, and forsaketh his sins, shall find mercy_. Nor could it shew us any mediator or reconciler between God and man, nor how, or in what manner, we must address ourselves to him, or to an offended God by him; reason could never start a thought of this strange way of salvation, that we must believe, or trust in another’s sufferings in order to the pardon of our own sins; that we must depend on the merits and righteousness of one that died, in order to obtain forgiveness and life; that _by faith, in the blood of Christ, God will justify them that believe in Jesus_? What could the light of mere nature teach us concerning this Jesus? And yet _there is no other name under heaven whereby we can be saved_; Acts iv. 12.