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SERrT. XV.1
A
RATIdNAL-
DEFENCE
Ofi,,
THE
GoSt'EE:
2f'i7
Why
should
that
be
esteemed impossible in the
affairs
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
cri-
minals
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 cri-
minals,
without a
satisfaction,
just
and
reasonable?
Ard
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
resurfection 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
ex-
ercised
itself
'upon things divine and
human; the resur-
rection
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.
IIL'
Another
occasion
'of
reproach
is,
that
the
gospel
teaches mortification and
self-
denial
in
a very
great de-
gree;
conflicting
with
our natural
appetites, and
fighting
against
our
own flesh
and
blood
:
And
all
that
it
pro-
mises
is
an
unseen heaven,
a
future
reward, a far dis-
stant
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
per
-
-haps
after
a
thousand_
years or more. Now,
as
under
the former head, the
doctrines
of
the gospel are
a
scan-