SEEM. XV.1 A RATIONAL DEFENCE OF THE GOSPEL, 265 sophy with the most accurate skill, yet, it would not fol- low 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 hi his manner of exist ence is infinitely above the nature ofcreatures 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 doc- trines in it, which we could never have found out by the mere light of reason; and some truths, the full explica- tion 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 can- not fully explain. II. Another occasion of reproach, which men fasten upon the gospel, is, that some of thedoctrines are so sin- gular and contrary to the common opinions and reason- ings 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 wickedand 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 ever so great, does not procure us a title to the favour of God and heaven ; that dead bodies, though mouldered in the grave for thou- sands of years, should be raised again to life and immor- tality 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 i" Aman should be ashamed of these things ; the very hea- then 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
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