A Disputation Concerning the Light of Nature

 The light of nature is the remaining knowledge in the mind of man after the Fall. Its object is things natural, civil and divine. Natural things respect nature, its power and its order.  Civil things pertain to the reason of civil life, and are comprehended by ethics, politics and economics.  Divine things are that which is known of God, namely: that God is, and that He is to be worshipped by us, Rom. 1:19-21. This is surely the natural knowledge of God, which spontaneously springs forth in human adults furnished with a sound mind, and is confirmed in them by the contemplation of the works of God; So that those who deny them are more stupid than the very gentiles, dumber than the very barbarians. On the other hand, who God is and what is his right and saving worship, not even the most wise have seen this by the light of reason.</li> <li>Acts 17, Those ignorant people of Athens are said to worship an unknown God, in that general sense in which the Samaritans worshipped that which they know not, Jn. 4:22.</li> <li>In Rom. 2:14 the apostle says, the gentiles by nature do those things which are of the law, insofar as they bring forth certain honest works enjoined by the law, even by the instinct of nature.</li> <li>No one of the heathens therefore truly acknowledged God or rightly worshipped Him.</li> <li>None of them, indeed, has reached eternal salvation by the benefit of nature.</li> <li>False is that saying that the gentiles through nature, the Jews through the Law, and Christians through the Gospel are saved.</li> <li>It is also false that the principles of religion are to be sought in nature and drawn from it.</li> <li>Likewise it is false that the light of nature, or of natural reason, in any way conflicts with the light of grace in the Word. </li> <li>Lastly, it is false that the light of grace is poured out upon the one who rightly uses the light of nature.</li> </ol>