ERD3. XVII.) A ILATIONAL bEFENCE OF THE GOSPEL. 289 professing and preaching this gospel, and to make it ap- pear, that the words of my text contain a general and most extensive guard, or defence, against all possible occasions of shame in the profession ofchristianity ; and that is, that the gospel of Christ is the power of God for the salvation of all that believe. Now this is an argument which you, who believe in Christ, may all assume to yourselves as well as the apos- tle : You cannot preach this gospel so well as he, nor explain the reasons ofyour faith to others, and establish it upon so solid and unshaken foundations of argument, as Paul could do ; but every Christian, that has em- braced the faith, and felt the power of this gospel for his own salvation, may give this reason for the profession of it, and may support his courage in opposition to all the sharpest temptations ofmockery and reproach. When the apostle says, it is the power of God, we must suppose him to understand, it is a most powerful means, or effectual instrument that God uses, to save souls, and it is attended with divine power for that 'end. It is more powerful than the light of nature; for we have no just reason to believe, that the mere light of nature, without some helps of divine revelation, or Some unwritten traditions of it, ever saved any souls at all ; and if there have been any of the sinners of the heathen nations made partakers of grace, I think it is 'otherwise to be accounted for than merely by the poor remains of the light of nature. It is more powerful than any religion that men or an- gels could invent, and more powerful too, than any re- ligion that God himself ever invented, or revealed, and proposed to men before the gospel of Christ. His reve- lations to the patriarchs were but 'few ; they were made here' and there to a house or two, or to a family ; they were particular favours that he bestowed upon persons called out of idolatry, nor had they a very long, nor spreading, nor lasting influence, except in the family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, where they were frequently renewed. It is more powerful than all the revelations of grace, which God made by Moses to the children of Israel, and intermingled with the Jewish law: for these discoveries VOL. L. 1J
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