What is intended, in the subsequent discourse, is to prove that the world of mankind, merely by their own reason and wisdom, cannot attain to a saving knowledge of God: or that man has no principle within himself, antecedent to divine grace operating on the heart, which is adequate to all the purposes of his salvation, by whatever name it may be called.--
That we may do justice, as far as we are able, to this great and important subject, we will attempt to show--
I. How far, the light of reason, without a celestial guide, can go, in things of a religious and moral nature.----And--
II. Point out its insufficiency, in those respects, which are not only very important, but altogether necessary.----
1. The first thing proposed, is to attempt to show how far the light of reason, without a divine Revelation, can go, in things of a religious and moral nature. If the state and character of mankind, in regard to Religion, shall, in what may be now offered, be placed in a new, or at least different light from what they are usually, when the great and utter depravation of the human heart is intended to be described, it is hoped it will not be less useful. Certainly an attempt to investigate such a subject as is now before us is worthy of particular attention. The proper study of mankind is man. Among all the enquiries, in which the wise and reflecting have engaged, that of discovering how far reason, of itself, without any supernatural assistances, can carry us, in regard to the concerns of our true and spiritual happiness, must be deemed one of the most highly interesting.--
While mankind are without Christ, they are _aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenants of promise_; they are strangers to all saving blessings, and have no interest in them. They have no good grounds upon which to expect the favour of the supreme being, the pardon of Sin in this, or happiness in another world. If without hope, they are in a lost and perishing situation. They have nothing within them, let it be called by whatever name it may, which can ensure this eternal peace and salvation. To assert or pretend that they have any principle of real holiness, however small a spark it may be considered, is to assert that they have some hope from what is with themselves,--Some ground to hope for life eternal: then, this being the case, they are not aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel or strangers from the Covenants of promise. For, if while without Christ, they are all, without exception, aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise, they must be _without hope,_ or in a lost and desperate state. To _be aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise_ is, according to the very meaning of the expressions, and the opinion of expositors, to have no lot or part, more or less, in any assignable degree, in the peculiar blessings and spiritual privileges of God's own people and servants. Before renewed by saving grace, all men, without one exception, are _without Christ._ They are without hope. And to be without hope in and from ourselves, is to be in a lost and desperate state in and of ourselves. It is added, they are also, _without God in the world._ And to _be without God in the world,_ is to be without an interest in his special favour--without a saving knowledge of him--and of course, without any title to his kingdom when they shall be removed from time into Eternity. To be _without Christ_ in _the world,_ is to have no interest in the saving blessings of his Gospel and purchase. The severest critic cannot charge me with having extended, beyond just bounds, the meaning of the text.