218 RATIONAL DEFENCE OF TAE GOSPEL. found it. In the worldof nature there are mysteries of this kind, which are as 'unaccountable and as hard to be unfolded as the mysteries of grace. It is the doctrine of union both in the trinity and the incarnation, which renders them so mysterious. Now this doctrine of unions in natural philosophy hath been hither- to insolvable. We know that spirit and body are united Up make a man : But the manner how they are united, remains still a most difficult question. We know that some bodies are hard, and some are soft ; hut what it is that ties or uniteshard bodies so closely together, and makes them so difficult to be separated, is a riddle to the best philosophers, which they cannot solve ; or what it is that renders the parts of soft botlies so easily separable. And many other things there are io nature as mysterious asthis. Besides, ifit were possible for us to. explain all things in na- ture, and to write a perfect book of natural philosophy with the most accurate skill, yet it would not follow that we must know God the Creator to perfection. The things of God are infinitely superior to the things of men. The natureof a Creator in his manner of existence is infinitelyabove the nature of creatures in theirs. It is fit there should be something belonging to God an infinite Spirit, that is incomprehensible, and above the power of finite spiritsto comprehend, and fully search out and explain. It ought therefore tobe no just ground of shame to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, that it has mysteries in it, that is to say, that it has some doctrines in it, which we couldnever have found out by the mere light of reason ; and some truths, the full expli- cation whereof we can never attain to, since there are many things in the world of nature, in the world of bodies and souls, andmany things in natural religion, which we cannot fully explain. II. Another occasion of reproach, which men fasten upon the gospel, is, that some of the doctrines are so singular and contrary to thecommon opinions and reasoningsof men ; such as that the ever -blessed God should want a satisfaction, in order to pardon sin with honour ; that he should punish the most inno- cent and obedient man that everlived, even llis own Son, for the sins of wickedand rebellious creatures ; that we should be freed from hell, which we had deserved, by the sufferings of another in our stead ; that one man shouldbejustified with another's obedi- ence; nay, that ten thousands of men should be pardoned and justified for the sake of the obedience anddeath ofone singleman ; that all our own repentance is not sufficient of itselfto obtain our pardon ; and our holiness, be it never so great, does not procure as a title to the favour of God and heaven ; that dead bodies, though moulderedin the grave for thousands of years, should be
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