to write a perfect book of natural philosophy with the most accurate
skill, yet it would not follow that we must know God the Creator to
perfection. The things of God are infinitely superior to the things of
men. The nature of a Creator in his manner of existence is infinitely
above the nature of creatures in theirs. It is fit there should be
something belonging to God an infinite Spirit, that is incomprehensible,
and above the power of finite spirits to comprehend, and fully search
out and explain. It ought therefore to be no just ground of shame to the
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, that it has mysteries in it, that is to
say, that it has some doctrines in it, which we could never have found
out by the mere light of reason; and some truths, the full explication
whereof we can never attain to, since there are many things in the world
of nature, in the world of bodies and souls, and many things in natural
religion, which we cannot fully explain.
II. Another occasion of reproach, which men fasten upon the gospel, is,
that some of the doctrines are so singular and contrary to the common
opinions and reasonings of men; such as that the ever-blessed God should
want a satisfaction, in order to pardon sin with honour; that he should
punish the most innocent and obedient man that ever lived, even his own
Son, for the sins of wicked and rebellious creatures; that we should be
freed from hell, which we had deserved, by the sufferings of another in
our stead; that one man should be justified with another’s obedience;
nay, that ten thousands of men should be pardoned and justified for the
sake of the obedience and death of one single man; that all our own
repentance is not sufficient of itself to obtain our pardon; and our
holiness, be it never so great, does not procure us a title to the
favour of God and heaven; that dead bodies, though mouldered in the
grave for thousands of years, should be raised again to life and
immortality: These are such strange doctrines, so very foreign to the
common sentiments of most men, that some of the Athenians cried out,
“_What does this babbler mean?_” A man should be ashamed of these
things; the very heathen philosophers called it foolishness.
But now to remove this scandal, let us consider that many of these
things are not so contrary to the reason of men as some think: As for
the satisfaction made for our sins by the sufferings of Christ, did not
almost all the heathen world suppose that God would not pardon sin
without satisfaction? What else mean all their bloody sacrifices? And
why did they sometimes proceed so far as to murder men, and offer them
to God for their sins? I confess indeed, that many of the philosophers
and learned men amongst them, who derided the gospel of Christ, did also
despise the sacrifices and religious ceremonies of their own countrymen,
believing that God would be merciful to men that were penitent and
pious, without any rites of atonement and sacrifice. But it is as
evident also, that the people had a general notion of the necessity of
some atonement for sin, and that the more valuable the sacrifice was,
the sooner was their god appeased, and the benefit procured would be
more extensive, howsoever the philosophers might ridicule it. It is
manifest then, that many of the heathens did imagine that the death and
sufferings of one person would procure pardon and immunities for a whole
multitude. And upon this principle some of the ancient Romans, now and
then, out of nobility of spirit, devoted themselves to death, to appease
the anger of the gods, for their whole country. Thus it appears, that
the business of satisfaction for sin, and the doctrine of expiation and
atonement by the blood and death of a surety, was not so utterly unknown
in the world.
I add farther, that the notion of one person’s making satisfaction for
the crime of another in human and political affairs, has been sometimes
practised, and thought to be very intelligible; and why should it be
counted so very monstrous and absurd in things divine? Do we understand
what it is for one man to become a surety for another, or for a criminal
to be set free from punishment by the voluntary substitution of another
person in his stead? Are we not well acquainted what it is for one man
to pay the debt of another, and the original person that was obliged
thereby, to become free? Do we not know what it is for a whole family of
children to inherit a possession for many ages, one after another, for
some noble acts and services of their father? Therefore honour, and
glory, and happiness, bestowed upon a multitude, for the sake of what
one man has done, is not so unintelligible a thing as some men would
persuade us. Why should that be esteemed impossible in the affair of
religion, which is evident and plainly practicable in the affairs of
this world?
Again, they think it strange that our repentance should not be enough to
obtain the pardon of past sins, and our own obedience should not procure
heaven for us. But are not traitors and robbers, and all notorious
criminals punished in all governments, notwithstanding their
repentances? Can their sorrow for what is past, procure a pardon of
their prince? Who then would be punished? And is man’s government in
punishing criminals, without a satisfaction, just and reasonable? And
shall God’s government be counted unreasonable? Can future obedience
among men obtain forgiveness for past treason and rebellion? And why
then should you think the great God is obliged to accept of it?
As for the resurrection of the dead, though it was counted a strange
thing among the heathens, when it was preached to them, yet in these
latter days, since the knowledge of God and his glorious attributes has
been so much increased, and the reason of men has freely exercised
itself upon things divine and human; the resurrection is not counted any
impossible thing, nor the doctrine of it incredible. And I am verily
persuaded if men, whom God has endued with large capacities and great
skill in reasoning, would but employ those talents to write a rational
account of most of the doctrines of our Lord Jesus Christ, it might be
done with much glory and success.
As for those few doctrines of christianity, which may at first appear
less reasonable to men, their abundant attestation from heaven demands
our belief.
III. Another occasion of reproach is, that the gospel teaches
mortification and self-denial in a very great degree, conflicting with
our natural appetites, and fighting against our own flesh and blood: And
all that it promises is an unseen heaven, a future reward, a far distant
happiness in another country, which eye has not seen, nor ear heard of,
nor the heart of man conceived. A mere spiritual pleasure, that is to be
enjoyed by the mind, and which the body shall not taste of, till perhaps
after a thousand years or more. Now, as under the former head, the
doctrines of the gospel are a scandal to the men of reasoning, so under
this they become a scandal and reproach to those that are literally
called men of sense, who are carnalized and immersed in sensuality. They
think it strange to forego the joys of sense for the hopes of enjoying a
happiness in a world they do not know when or where.
But I need not stand long to answer this calumny; for even some of the
refined philosophers gave sufficient rebuke to this sensual temper: The
very heathens could say enough to abate this censure, and to remove this
occasion of shame, though the gospel of Christ does it infinitely
better.
Christianity does not abridge us of the common comforts of flesh and
blood, nor lay an unreasonable restraint upon any natural appetite; but
it teaches us to live like men, and not like brutes; to regulate and
manage our animal nature with its desires and inclinations, so as to
enjoy life in the most proper and becoming manner; to eat and drink, and
taste the bounties of providence, to the honour of our Creator, and to
the best interest of our souls.
But, suppose, we were forbid all the indulgence of our appetites, and
the delights of sense, by the gospel; surely, those who know what
intellectual pleasures are, who can relish the joy that belongs to
spirits, will not be much terrified with these objections, nor deride
the faith of Christ, because it does not propose to them the reward of
an earthly paradise. The rewards of the gospel are indeed spiritual till
the resurrection, but those spiritual pleasures shall vastly
over-balance all that toil, sorrow and suffering, we have passed through
on earth, and all that self-denial which we have exercised. But when the
body shall be raised again, our refined delights of all kinds shall be
infinitely satisfying: We shall not say, that God has dealt our
happiness to us with a niggardly hand, but that he has exceeded all his
promises, when we shall come to taste the things God has prepared for
us, which eye hath not seen, or ear heard of.
IV. Another prejudice against the gospel is this; some persons charge it
with much of enthusiasm; and that the doctrine of the operations of the
Spirit, and the expectation of his divine assistance to instruct us in
truth, to mortify sin in us, and to enable us to perform holy duties,
has too much of a visionary and fanciful turn of mind, and does not
become men that profess reason.
But if such objectors were better acquainted with themselves, and knew
the weakness of their own reason in the search after truth, and the
various and plausible errors that attend their enquiries on every side;
if they were better acquainted with the strength of temptation, the
power of their own sinful appetites, and the weakness of their will to
resist sin, and to fulfil the rules of righteousness: surely they would
not think it a ridiculous thing to lift up a prayer to the great God to
guide them into truth, and to assist them to walk steadily in the paths
of religion and virtue. If they had but a deep and lively sense of their
own insufficiency for every thing that is good, and of the many dangers
and enemies that beset them, they would rather see infinite reason to
bless their Creator, that has given them any promise or hope of the aids
of his grace.
Nor is it at all fantastical or irrational to suppose, that the great
and blessed God, who made these spirits of ours, should kindly act upon
them, and influence them by secret and divine methods to their duty and
their happiness; that he should send his own Spirit to help them onward
in their proper business, which is to serve him here; and assist them in
the pursuit of their true blessedness, which is, to enjoy him hereafter.
Methinks it is one of the glories of the gospel of Christ, that God has
not only sent his Son to purchase heaven for us, but continually sends
down his own Spirit to lead every humble christian in the way thither.
When a poor penitent creature, distressed under a sense of the power of
sin, dwelling in him, who has long and often toiled and laboured to
bring his heart near to God, and to suppress the irregular and
exorbitant appetites of his nature, addresses himself to the throne of
God, and cries earnestly for divine help, it is a glorious provision
that is made in the gospel of Christ, that the Spirit of God is promised
for our assistance. Nor is it at all unworthy of a person of the
greatest reason and the best understanding, humbly to wait and hope for
the accomplishment of this promise. Thus the charge of enthusiasm
vanishes, and the gospel maintains its honour.
V. The last objection against the doctrines of the gospel of Christ, is,
that they are not sufficiently attested, that there is not ground enough
given to credit the divinity of them in our age. They are ready to say,
“These things were done, according as ourselves profess, above sixteen
hundred years ago, and we have not sufficient credentials to venture our
faith upon it at this day.”
It would be too long here to repeat over to you half the grounds we have
for faith in this gospel. That there was such a man as Jesus Christ;
that he lived at such a time at Jerusalem; that he wrought wondrous
works in his own country, is not at all disbelieved by those that
profess any reasonable faith in human history. The Jews themselves, who
were his greatest enemies, do not deny that he wrought those miracles,
which others could not work; but they pretend, that he did it by some
magic art, by diabolical charms: and wrought miracles not by the power
of God, but by virtue derived from spells and evil spirits. So that the
miracles he wrought were not disbelieved and denied, but the heavenly
spring of them is impiously perverted and turned downward, as though
Christ borrowed his power from hell to transact these affairs. But the
holiness and the heavenly temper of the gospel of Christ refutes this
accusation. Satan was never known to demolish his own kingdom of
ungodliness in such a manner as this. The gospel of Christ in every part
of it has a most singular and sublime tendency to advance the name, the
attributes, and the honour of God, whom Satan hates with a perfect
hatred: He would never lend his assisting hand to support a scheme of
religion so divine and holy.
Never was any body of doctrines and of duties so composed and calculated
to promote the glory of God, nor the good of man, as this gospel does:
Our peace and happiness would be secured by it on earth, if all men
would comply with it, and our felicity after death is the great and
indefeasible proposal and design of it: Now Satan is a restless enemy to
men, his fellow-creatures, as well as to God, his Maker; and he would
never exert the remains of his angelic power to encourage and defend
such a pious and beneficent religion.
But the most amazing progress and success of the gospel is another
argument that proves it to be divine, even when devils and magicians
opposed it as well as princes and philosophers. That the gospel itself,
without the force of arms, that a naked gospel, that seems so incredible
as this did, should spread itself throughout the world in so short a
space of time, that by the preaching of a few despised persons, and
several of them fishermen that were utterly unlearned: That this gospel
should triumph over all the powers and policies of men and hell: That it
should make its way in opposition to the wisdom of philosophers, and the
will of princes, and all the temptations and terrors of this world: This
is another miracle, which perhaps is as divine and convincing as any of
the preceding wonders, that attested this gospel, when it was first
preached.
I add also the testimony of prophecy to that of miracles. The wondrous
and exact accomplishment of many prophecies since our Lord Jesus Christ
dwelt on earth in the days of his flesh, confirm his gospel. The
prophecies that he himself gave forth from God, is another testimony of
this gospel, which is uncontrollable. The destruction of Jerusalem, the
time and methods of its destruction, and the terrors of it, may be read
in Mat. xxiv. And if you read the history of Josephus, a Jew, you find
so many parallels, that you may say Christ did foretel it indeed.
I might here subjoin the predictions of the apostles, particularly that
of St. Paul, and St. John, concerning the rise and spirit of antichrist,
wherein the church of Rome so clearly answers the language of the
visions and prophecies. But the brightest and most uncontrollable
witness of prophecy to the truth of the gospel, is the most exact and
punctual accomplishments of all the predictions of the Old Testament, in
the life and death, the resurrection and glory of Jesus Christ our Lord.
From the first promise given to Adam in the garden, down to the words of
Malachi, the last of the prophets, you find every thing that was said of
him fulfilled in his history. And thus the books of the Jews, wherein
they placed all their hopes, confirm the gospel of Christ, and refute
and confound their own infidelity: So that if ever I had been a Jew, and
did believe Moses and the prophets, I think I am constrained to be a
christian, and believe in Jesus Christ.
Thus I have endeavoured to answer those objections against the gospel,
which are pretended to arise from the truths or doctrines of it: And
before I proceed to answer those cavils which are raised against it,
because of the professors of it, I must finish the present discourse
with a word or two of improvement.
Use 1. If this be a gospel not to be ashamed of, then study it well:
Learn the truths and doctrines of it thoroughly: Truths and doctrines,
which St. Paul, so wise, and so great a man, did not blush to profess,
and preach, and die for. Value it as he valued it: The more you know it,
the more you will esteem it; and the better you are acquainted with all
the glorious articles of it, the less you will be ashamed of it: The
divine harmony of the whole will cast a beauty and a lustre on every
part.
Use 2. Furnish yourselves with arguments for it daily, that you may
profess it without shame, and defend it without blushing: This is a day
of temptation, and you know not what conversation you may be called into
by divine providence; you know not what cavils you may meet with to
assault your faith, and attack christianity. _Be ready therefore to give
reasons of the hope that is in you_, and to make a just and pertinent
reply to gainsayers, and convince those, if possible, that are led away
captive by the wiles of the devil to forsake Christ and his gospel. Let
not every turn of wit, or sleight of argument and sophistry, make you
waver in your faith. It is a gospel that will bear the trial of
reasonings and reproaches. It has something in itself that is divine,
and therefore it is able to support the professors of it against an army
of cavillers.
Use 3. Submit to all the institutions of it. Profess the whole of the
gospel; not only the doctrines, but the ordinances of this gospel, are
divine and glorious; they have something in them that shew they come
from God, and they have something in them that evidently leads to God.
They have all something in their sense and signification that discovers
divinity. Wait upon God therefore in all his ordinances, in the
assemblies of christians, that you _may see his power and his glory in
his own sanctuary_, and that you may, from your own experience, be able
to say, that the gospel is too great, too glorious, too divine a thing
in its doctrines and worship, and in all its institutions, for you ever
to be ashamed of. It has now, for sixteen ages, endured the test of the
wit, and the rage of earth and hell, and it shall stand in power and
glory, till the heavens be no more.
HYMN FOR SERMON XV.
_A Rational Defence of the Gospel._
Shall atheists dare insult the cross,
Of our Redeemer God?
Shall infidels reproach his laws,
Or trample on his blood?
What if he chuse mysterious ways,
To cleanse us from our faults?
May not the works of sov’reign grace
Transcend our feeble thoughts!
What if his gospel bids us fight
With flesh, and self, and sin?
The prize is most divinely bright,
Which we are call’d to win.
What if the foolish and the poor,
His glorious grace partake?
This but confirms his truth the more,
For so the prophets spake.
Do some that own his sacred name,
Indulge their souls in sin?
Jesus should never bear the blame,
His laws are pure and clear.
Then let our faith grow firm and strong
Our lips profess his word;
Nor blush, nor fear to walk among
The men that love the Lord.
SERMON XVI.
_A Rational Defence of the Gospel: Or, Courage in Professing
Christianity._
ROM. i. 16.—I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.
THE SECOND PART.
There are many in the world who call themselves christians, and boast in
the name; yet if you ask them what the gospel of Christ is, they are
either struck into confusion and silence, or they give such an awkward
and impertinent answer, as sufficiently discovers they know little of
the religion of Christ, or of the sacred name into which they were
baptized. Now that we may act and speak as becomes persons endued with
reason, I thought it necessary at first to give some account what this
gospel is, that you might know and understand, the religion which you
profess; and if ye will glory in the name of christian, ye may be able
to tell what it is you mean by christianity.
By reading the books of the New Testament, wherein the gospel is
contained, you will find this to be the sum and substance of it, _viz._
that it is a wise, a holy, and a gracious constitution of God for the
recovery of sinful man, by sending his own Son Jesus Christ into the
flesh, to obey his law which man had broken, to make a proper atonement
for sin by his death, and thus to procure the favour of God, and eternal
happiness, for all that believe and repent, and receive this offered
salvation; together with a promise of the holy Spirit to work this faith
and repentance in their hearts, to renew their sinful natures unto
holiness, to form them on earth fit for this happiness, and to bring
them to the full possession of it in heaven.
I have shewn, in the next place, what St. Paul meant, when he told the
Romans he was not ashamed of this gospel: He was neither ashamed to
believe it as a man, nor to profess it as a christian, nor to preach it
to others as a minister, nor to defend it as a good soldier of Christ,
nor to suffer and die for it as a martyr.
The third thing which I proposed, was to make it appear, that all the
occasions of shame, which men of infidelity pretend to raise from this
gospel, may be answered upon the fair and just principles of reason and
argument. The first sort of reproaches are those which are cast upon the
doctrines of the gospel, and I hope I have rolled them away.
I repeat no more of these things, but proceed to the next sort of
occasions of shame, and these are such as are supposed to arise from the
professors of this gospel; and I shall endeavour to shew you also Low
they may be answered. They are chiefly these four.
I. Some will say, “The professors of this gospel in the beginning were
the weak, and foolish, and mean things of this world; but it was
despised by the wise, it was scorned by the great and honourable, and
persecuted by the mighty. Why should a Paul, a pharisee, a doctor of the
law, become a follower of a carpenter’s Son, and associate with a parcel
of fishermen? This is a scandal, and foolish indeed. _Who among the
pharisees or rulers have believed on him_; John vii. 48.” This was the
stumbling-block of the gospel in that age, and it is the stumbling-block
at which many persons take offence in our age too. “It is the unthinking
multitude, say they, the mere mob of mankind, that are led away with the
noise of strange things and the gospel. And it is only those who have no
relish of good sense that can dispense with mysteries. The poorer and
weaker sort of men and women flock after your powerful preachers of the
gospel, but wise men despise it.” I am very glad, my friends, if in your
conversation you meet with no such persons that ridicule the gospel at
this rate. But there are many in our age and nation arrived at this
height of pride and contempt of the gospel.
This objection may have more answers than one given to it; as _first_,
it is a matter of unjust reproach, and it is false in fact; for all the
professors of this gospel are not weak and unlearned. There have been in
the very beginning of christianity some wise, some great persons, that
have given testimony to this gospel by their believing it. St. Paul was
a man of no weak reason, no mean understanding, no small learning, and
yet he believes this gospel, and professes he is not ashamed of it.
And there have been in most ages of the church some instances of the
power and success of this gospel in converting philosophers and senators
and princes. The learned, the ingenious, and the noble amongst mankind
have sometimes given up their names to Christ, have yielded their assent
to his doctrines, and conformed their hearts and lives to the rules of
his gospel. Men of wit and reason have been converted to the faith, and
then have exerted their peculiar talents in the defence of christianity,
and they have convinced the world that they had neither left their
reason nor their wit behind them when they became christians. Men of
grandeur and power have sometimes also supported it with honour.