SERM. XVII.7 A RATIONAL DEFENCE OF THE GOSPEL. 3©l, can bring against the gospel, either from the doctrines or from the professors of it : And methinks, I would fain have you all furnished with this glorious argument, and learn to manage it for the defence of your faith. Do they tell you, that *--doctrines of the gospel con- tain mysteries in them, and things that are unsearchable ; Do theyendeavour to put you out ofcountenance by ri- diculing the truths ofchristianity, as being contrary to the common opinions and reasonings of Mien Do they re- proach them as foolish and unreasonable, and do they endeavour to persuade you that they are not sufficiently attested, and there is not ground enough togive credit to them ? Though there have been particular answers given to eachof these cavils in the first discourse ; yet you may give this general and short reply to all of them, and say, " I am sure they are not contrary to reason ; for they are divine. They are not incredible, nor do they want sufficient evidence; for God himself by his own Spirit has borne witness to them in my heart : He has wrought an almighty work there by the means of this gospel; He has created me anew unto faith, and hope, and holiness : 'hehas turned myheart from earth to heaven, and subdued the sinful inclinations of my nature by the precepts, by the promises, by the glorious discoveries of this gospel : He has made use of it to savemy soul ; and I carryabout me an uncontrolable proof that it came from heaven. Now though this sort of argument may have but little force in it sometimes for the conviction of the infidel; yet it is of sufficient force to establish the believer. But I proceed. Do they fill your ears with the mean and contemptible character of the professorsof this gos- pel ? Do they charge many of them with vicious prac- tices ? Do they tell you of their different opinions, their contests and their quarrels ? Anddo they discourage you by pointing to the apostates that have forsaken the faith ? You maydefend yourself and your profession against all these objections by the same general argument thus : " Are the professors of it some of the mean and base things of this world? But they are saints, and this gos- pel has made them so ; they are the sons and daughters of the most high God by faith in this gospel ; and I will not be ashamed to reckon myself of their society, and to number myself amongst them. Are there many that are
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