What if he chuse mysterious ways, To cleanse us from our faults? May not the works of sov’reign grace Transcend our feeble thoughts! What if his gospel bids us fight With flesh, and self, and sin? The prize is most divinely bright, Which we are call’d to win. What if the foolish and the poor, His glorious grace partake? This but confirms his truth the more, For so the prophets spake. Do some that own his sacred name, Indulge their souls in sin? Jesus should never bear the blame, His laws are pure and clear. Then let our faith grow firm and strong Our lips profess his word; Nor blush, nor fear to walk among The men that love the Lord. SERMON XVI. _A Rational Defence of the Gospel: Or, Courage in Professing Christianity._ ROM. i. 16.—I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. THE SECOND PART. There are many in the world who call themselves christians, and boast in the name; yet if you ask them what the gospel of Christ is, they are either struck into confusion and silence, or they give such an awkward and impertinent answer, as sufficiently discovers they know little of the religion of Christ, or of the sacred name into which they were baptized. Now that we may act and speak as becomes persons endued with reason, I thought it necessary at first to give some account what this gospel is, that you might know and understand, the religion which you profess; and if ye will glory in the name of christian, ye may be able to tell what it is you mean by christianity. By reading the books of the New Testament, wherein the gospel is contained, you will find this to be the sum and substance of it, _viz._ that it is a wise, a holy, and a gracious constitution of God for the recovery of sinful man, by sending his own Son Jesus Christ into the flesh, to obey his law which man had broken, to make a proper atonement for sin by his death, and thus to procure the favour of God, and eternal happiness, for all that believe and repent, and receive this offered salvation; together with a promise of the holy Spirit to work this faith and repentance in their hearts, to renew their sinful natures unto holiness, to form them on earth fit for this happiness, and to bring them to the full possession of it in heaven.