220 IATìONAL DEFENCE Or THE GOSPEL. Again, they think it strange that our repentance should not be enough to obtain the pardonof past sins, and our own obedi- enceshould notprocureheaven for us. But are not traitors and robbers, and all notorious criminals punished inall governments, notwithstanding their repentances ? Can their sorrow for what is past, prgçure apardon of their prince ? Who then wouldbe punished ? And is man's government in punishing criminals, without a satisfaction, just and reasonable? And 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 ac- cept ofit ? As for the resurrection of the dead, though it was counted a strange thing amongthe heathens, when it was preached to them, yet in these latter days, since the knowledge of God andhis glori- ousattributes has been so much increased, and the reason of men has freely exercised itself upon things divine and human ; the resurrection is not counted any impossiblething, nor the doctrine ofitincredible. And I am verily persuaded if men, whom God has endued with large capacities and great skill in reasoning, would bdt employ those talents to write a rational account ofmost of the doctrines of our Lord Jesus Christ, itmight be donewith muchglory 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. III. Another occasionofreproach is, that the gospel-teaches mortification and self-denial in a very great degree, conflicting with our natural appetites, and fightingagainst our own flesh and blood : Andall that it promises is an unseen heaven, a future re- ward, a far distant 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 perhaps after a thousand years or -more. Now, asunder the former head, thedoctrines of the gospel are a scandal 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 sensuality. They think it strange to forego the joys of sense for the hopes of enjoying a happiness in a world they do notknow when or where. Bit I need not stand long to anstiver this calumny; for even some of the refined philosophers gave sufficient rebuke to this sensual temper : The very heathens could say enough to abate this censure, and to remove this occasion of shame, though the. gospel of Christ does it infinitely better.
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