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R5T.
%V.1
A
RAT2ONAL DEFENCE
OF
T8E
GOSFEL.
969
ties, has too much
of
a visionary and fanciful
turn
of
mind,
and
does
not
become men
that
profess reason.
But
if
such
objectors
were
better acquainted
with
themselves,
and
knew the weakness
of
their
own
reason
in the
search
after truth,
and the various and plausible
errors that attend
their enquiries
on
every
side;
if
they
were
better
acquainted
with
the
strength
of
temptation,
the
power
of
their
own
sinful
appetites, and the weak-
ness
of their
will
to
resist
sin,
and to
fulfil
the
rules
of
-righteousness;
surely they
would
not think
it
a
ridicu-
lous thing
to
lift up a
prayer
to
the
great God
to
guide
them into truth, and
to assist them
to walk
steadily
in
the paths
of
religion
and virtue.
If
they had
but a deep
and
lively sense
of their
own insufficiency for
every
thing
that
is
good,
and
of
the
many dangers and enemies
that
beset
them,
they
would
rather
see
infinite
reason
to
bless
their Creator,
who has
given them any
promise
or hope
of
the
aids
of
his
grace.
Nor
is
it at
all
fantastical
or
irrational
to suppose,
that
the
great
and
blessed
God,
who
made these spirits
of
ours, should kindly
act upon
them,
and
influence
them
by
secret
and
divine
methods
to
their
duty and
their
happiness; that
he
should send
his own
Spirit
to
help them onward
in
their proper
business, which
is
to
-serve
him
here
;
and
assist them in the
pursuit
of
their
true
blessedness, which
is
to
enjoy him
hereafter.
Methinks
it
is
one
of
the
glories
of
the gospel
ofChrist,
that
God
has
not
only sent
his
Son
to
purchase heaven
for
us,
but
continually
sends down
his own
Spirit
to
lead
every humble christian
in the way
thither. When
a
poor penitent
creature, distressed
under a
sense
of
the
power
of
sin,
dwelling
in him, who has
long and
often
toiled
and
laboured
to
bring
his
heart near
to
God,
and
to
suppress the
irregular
and
exorbitant
appetites of
his
nature,
addresses
,
himself
to
the throne
of
God, and
cries
earnestly
for divine
help,
it
is
a
glorious provision
that
is
made
in
the gospel
of
Christ,
that
the Spirit
of
God
is
promised
for
our
assistance.
Nor
is
it
at
all
un-
worthy
of
a
person
of
the
greatest reason and
the
best
understanding,
humbly to wait
and hope for
the
accom-
plishment
of
this
promise.
Thus
the charge
of
enthu-
siasm vanishes,
and the
gospel
maintains
its
honour.
V.
The
last objection against
the
doctrines
of
the gos-