6BRM. XV.) A RATIONAL DEFENCE OF THE GOSPEL. 259 Whereas if this had been all the substance of the gospel, he had no reason to be ashamed of it either among the Jews or the heathens. The Jews, had a knowledge of forgiveness upon repentance, and a belief of it long be- fore Christ came: And the heathen;philosophers would have readily received it, as a thing very little different from what their natural reason might lead them to hope ,for; though it could not fully assure them of it: They would never have sought to expose and ridicule the preaching of St. Paul as mere babbling, and called him a setter forth of strange gods. But on the other hand, if we suppose him publishing the glorious doctrine which I have described, there was something in this so strange to the ears of the heathens, as well as of the blinded Jews, that might well be sup- . posed to awaken their opposition and rage ; and there- fore it was a great point gained with him, when he had courage enough to maintain such a gospel, and to say, I am not ashamed of it. , This.leads me to the second thing proposed. Secondly, What is included in these words, I am' not ashamed of the gospel? To this I answer under these five heads : 1. I am not ashamed to believe it as a man. 2. I am not ashamed to profess it asa christian. 3. I am not ashamed to preach it to others as' a mi- nister. 4. I am not ashamed to defend it, and contend for it as a good soldier of Christ. 5. I am not ashamed to suffer and die for it as a martyr. 1. I am not ashamed to believe this gospel as a man. My rational powers give me no secret reproaches. My understanding and judgment do not reprove and check my faith.. I feel no inward blush upon the face of my soul,' while I give the fullest assent to all these truths, to this scheme ofdoctrine, to this heavenly contrivance and system of grace. A rational man, especially who has been bred up in learning, should be ashamed to believe fables and follies, but'I believe all this gospel, and amnot ashamed. My own reason approves it, and justifies me in the persuasion and belief of such a gospel as this is. I believe it with so firm and unshaken a faith, that I s2
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