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263
A
RATIONAL DEFENCE
OF
THE
6O5PEL.
[SEAM.
X0.
dal
to
the
men
of
reasoning,
so
under
this they become
a
scandal and
reproach
to
those
that are
literally-
called
men
of
sense,.
who
are carnalized and immersed
in sen-
suality.
They
think
it
strange to forego the joys
of
sense
for the hopes
of
enjoying a happiness in a world they
do
not
know when
or
where.
But
I need not stand long
to
answer this calumny
;
for
even
some
of
the refined philosophers
gave sufficient
re-
buke
to this sensual
temper
:
The
very
heathens could
say enough to abate
this
censure, and
to
remove this
oc-
casion
of
shame,
though
the gospel
of
Christ
does
it
in-
fnitely
better.
Christianity
does
not
abridge
us
of
the common com-
forts of
flesh
and
blood,
nor
lay
an
unreasonable
re-
straint
upon
any
natural
appetite;
but it
teaches us
to
live like
men,
arid
not
like
brutes
;
to
regulate and manage
our
animal,
nature
with its
desires and inclinations,
so
as to enjoy life in
the
most
proper
and becoming
manner;
to eat and
drink, and taste the bounties
of
providence,
to
the
honour of
our Creator, and
to
the
best interest
of
of
our
souls.
But, suppose,
we
were
forbid
all
the indulgence
of
our
appetites, and the
delights
of
sense,
by
the
gospel
;
surely those
who know
what intellectual pleasures are,
who can relish the
joy that
belongs to spirits,
will
not
be
much terrified
with
these
objections,
nor deride the
faith
of
Christ, because it does
not propose
to
them
the
reward of
an earthly paradise.
The
rewards
of
the
gos-
pel
are
indeed spiritual
till
the resurrection,
but
those
spiritual
pleasures
shall vastly
Over
-
balance all
that
toil,.
sorrow
and
suffering,
we
have
passed
through
on
earth,
and
all
that
self
-
denial which we have exercised.
But
when
the body
shall
be
raised
again,
our
refined delights
of
all
kinds
shall
be infinitely satisfying:
We
shall
not
say,
that
God
has
dealt our
happiness
to
us with
a
nig-
gardly hand,
but that
he has
exceeded
all his
promises,
when
we
shall
come
to taste
the
things
God has
prepared
for
us,
which
eye
bath
not
seen,
or
ear
heard
of.
IV.
Another
prejudice against the
gospel
is
this;
some
persons
charge
it
with
much
of
enthusiasm
;
'and
that
the
doctrine of
the
operations of the
Spirit,
and
the
expecta-
tion of,
his divine
assistance
to-
instruct
us
in
truth,
to
mortify
sin
in
us,
ançl
to
enable
us
to
perform
holy
du