244 ~ Chap.n. ~ 7he Harmony of the 'Divine Attributes CHAP. XXI. The Divine fower wa~ glorified in the Converjion of tbe Wor ld to Chrill:ianity. 1\{otwithftanding the imaginary Infirmity in Chrill: Cmcified, yet to the Called he was the Power of God. The numerous and great Di{jiculties that obftruEled the recei'lling the Cofpel. W hat the ftate of the World was at the firfl fre3ching it. Ignorance was Univcrfa l Idolatry, and tbe depravation of Munners, were ibe Confoquences of it. Idolatry was fortified by Cuftom, Antiquity, and External fomp. The depravation of Manners wu extreme. The prillcipal Account of it from their disbelieving a fitture State, and tbeir attributing to tbetr Gods thofe f affions and Vices that were pleajing to tbe Flefo. The averfion of tbe Vulgar Heathens was ftrengtbned by thoje in Veneratton among them. The Philofophers, friefts a•d frinces vehemently oppofed the Cofpel. lln Account of their Enmity againft it. 1 he Co11jideration of the Means by which the Cofpel was conveyed, dtfwvers tbat Omnipotency alone made it fuccefsful. The Ferfons employed were a few FiftJer-men, without Authority and fower to force Men to Obedience, and without Art or Eloquence to infinuate the beliefof thrir DoElrine. The great, fudden, and lafling change in tbe World, by tbe freaching of the Cofpel, is a certain Argument o{ tbe "Divine fower that animated thofe weak,_ Ap· pearances. Idolatry was abolrfb"d. A miraculour change followed in tbe Lives rf Men. Chrill:ians gave a divorce to all the Jinful delights of Senfe, and embraced for tbe Honour of Cbrift, thofe things that Nature moft abhors. A foort view of the Sujferings and Courage of the Martyrs. Their fatience was ill{pired from Heaven. Chrill:ianity war vtClorious over all oppojition. The Divine fower will be glorioufly manifeEled ;,. the compleat Salvation of the Church at the !all: Day. 011r Saviour [hall the!J Jinifh his Mediatory Office. Death the laft EneHty [hall be deftroyed. The Bodies of the Saints [hall be raifod and conforme~ to the gloriour Body of Chrill:. T HT~e~;~nrll;'~~~:ru:~·~;~~~;~ :~.,~}~dc~~~v~;C:~~ J~~v~h~ fi,,':li:~-~~:Ln~~jt;; the Gemilesfooliflmefs. The Jews expeCted the Melfiah to deliver them fromtempora/Servitude, and efiabli!h an Univ~rfal Empire, either by the Force of Arms, or by the Terror of Signs and Prodigies, as Mofes did againfi the Egyptiam: But when infiead of Power, they faw nothing but Weaknefs, and infiead of a glorious Triumph, a difgracefu l Punifhment, they defpifed his Perfon, and rejeCted his Doetri,ne. But notwithftanding this imaginary Infirmity in ChriO: crucified, yet to theft that are caUed according to ~bife~!~~ P;~~d ,~'t;~;'!:i:t:':~tot.:i!~~~w~'f 1 c~;~fie!tp~~~~~. ~~~~ J),~r;~~s .~ pea red wirh all the Powers of Heaven, and Princes of the Earth as his Artendants. For this R.eafon the Apofile declares, He tvas not ajbamed of tbe Gofpel of Cbriff, it beh;g tbe Power of God to SalvatioJt to ttUthat believe, to the Jew jirfl, a1td alfo to the Greek. And he proys for the Epbejians, Ch. I. 18, 19, 20. That tbe Eyes of their Vnderfiandings bei11g enlighJNed, they might k.trow what is the exceeding greatnejf of his Power to1uWa rd who believe, according to the workfng of his mighty Power 1vhich he wroJJght i11. Cbrifl when he raifed him from the Dead, mzd Jet hiNt at his own right f!and in the Heavenly Places. He ufes various and lofty Expreffions, as if one had been mfullicient to Ggnify the Ex- ~~~ ~~~#cl~!?c~~~~~~~ ~~s~~:;,r.oP~~~1- ~~:t~~i~hr~:rn?l~?~h~"A~~~~~~:ar~'~n~; too ltrong and Hyperbolical, but jull: and equal to the degree of Power requiGte for the accompli(hment of that great Work. For the underll:anding of this, I will confider tbrec things . 1 fi. The numerous and great Difficalties that obll:rulted the receiving of the Gofpe!. 2dly. The
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