upon Religious Subjetls. 363 Chriftianity without Judaifm ; but to whom SERM. did he firft communicate it ? not to the bi- XIV. gotted yews, left he fhould have run in vain, `'vim left they fhould have trampled it under their feet, and turned again and rent him : but he communicated it privately to them who were of reputation. Againft this general and molt reafonable rule many have trefpaffed. Men of an enthufiaftick turn, who under a ftrong perfuafion of truth on their fide; and not only fo, but that their minds were under a divine influence, have applied themfelves to the work of reforming the world with a great deal of zeal, but very little (kill, either in the manner of their addrefs, or the choice of the perfons on whom they made their at- tempts ; and the fuccefs has been anfwerable enough to the temerity and imprudence of their undertakings : their counfels have been negleEted, and themfelves treated with con- tempt as very weak or frantick. We fee in the inflance of the apoftle's juft now referred to, that when the fpirit of God moves men, he does not deprive them of their reafon but rather ftrengthens it, and in executing an immediate commiffion from him, though he does not leave them without extraordinary credentials, they are Hill to ufe their own under-
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