414 je 1 a n ottpof tOt íbíite [ttríbtttev Chap. a I. cloath'd inPurple and thofe inSackcloth:it condemns the VY greaten for Delinquents and guilty of Eternal Death, if they do not abandon thofe pleafures to which cor- rupt Natureand many firongTemptations violently in- cline them. Now the Heathen Princes who were prof - perous and vicious, could not relith a Dotrine that re- trencht their exorbitant defines, and ffriily forbade their unconfin'd enjoyment offenfualtlelights,which they efteem'd thePrerogativeannext to their fupremeDignity; and the minds of Subjeasare tainted with dependance on the powerful. From what hathbeen difcours'd, we may judg howgreat refinance the Gofpel met with in its firfi publication. For all things that can make an enterprife impoffible, were united together againft it. W ifdom and Power, the pleafures of Sin and zeal for Religion, the Underflandings and Wills of Men were combin'd inoppofition to its progrefs; the Learned and lgnorant,Magiflratesand People,Men andDevils joyn'd to fupprefs it. Hell was in a Commotion, and the Prince of Darknefs in Arms, not to fuller the Crowns of fo many Kingdoms to fall from his Head, which for fomany ages he had kept : He was enrag'd to lofe the Homage and Service, efpecially of the more knowing Nations, as the Grecians and Romans ; who, by how much themore capable of truth, with fo much the more art to thedifhonour ofGod for a long time had been kept under his Deceit. z. 1fwe confider themeans by which the Gofpel was conveyed, it will be more evid_nt that Omnipotence a- lone made it fuccefsful. When Chrift came fromHea- ven to convert the World, it had been according to the Lawofreafon more fuitable to his Purpofe, to have been born at Rome the feat of the Empire, wherein the con- fluence ofall Nations met, than in an obfcure corner. So when the Apoffles were 6rft Pent forth to propagate the
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