7 he Harmony of the 'Divine Attributes f"\.A/'1 by a few artlefs impotent Perfons .to coofound the Wifdom, and overcome the Puwer of ~hap. 21. the World. · ~ 3dly. The great, fudden, and lafl:ing Change that was made in the World by the preaching of the Gofpel, is a certain Argument of the Divin,e Power that animated thofe mean appearances; and that no InO:rument is weak in God's Hands. r. The greatnefs of the €hange is fuch, that it was on]y poffible to Divine Power. 'Tis a great Miracle to render Sight to the Blind, but 'tis more miraculous to inlighten the dark Mind, to fee the Truth and Beauty of fupernatural Myfl:eries, when they are difguis'd under Reproach and fad Reprefentations, and elfell:ually to believe them; efpecially when the inferiour Appetite is fo contrary to Faith. 'Tis a Prodigy to raife the Dead but'tis more admirable to fanll:ify an habituated Sinner. For in comparing the quality of thofe Miracles, that is the greateO:, in the performing whereof God is difcovered to be the abfolute Lord of the greater Nature : Now the intell~ll:ual Nature is fuperiour to the corporeal. Befidey, there is no Contradill:ion from a dead Body againfl: the Divine Power in raifi.ng i,t; on the corftrary ,_ if any Senfe were remaining, it would ardently deiire to.~ refl:or'd to the full ~njoyment of Li.fe: ?et cor;upt Nature .is .moll: oppofite to renewmg Grace. And m thos fence our Savmur s Promofe to the Dofcoples was principally accomplifhed; Verily I fay H1tto yo11, He that believes on nte, the Worl,t that I do fbaU he do a/fo, and gre.ter Wor"'" than theft ftuU he do, bewife I go to the Father. For the fl:range Converfion of the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gofpel , was the moll: divine and powerful Work of our Saviour in Glory, after his fending the Holy GhoO: and exceeded all the miraculou~ Operations performe·d by him on the Earth. The gl~rious Light of Truth fcattered the 'thick arid terrible Darknefs of Ignorance and Error, that was fo univerfal. The ·Gofpel in its Power and the quality of its Effects, was like thofe words Let there be light, which the1eternal Word pronounced upon the confufed Chao., and infu~ fed a Soul and Life into the World. The clear· Knowledge of God in his Nature · and glorious Works of Creation and Redemption, of the Duty of Man, of the future 'state was communidted to the meaneO:-UnderO:andi'l£1s, And in proportion to the Ligllt of ~~:~~rf~~~r;::ri~~.m~~~!~~~J;;~~~~~!.~V~:e f:~~~~~i~i~~~~r~dc~~~~~f~~~t~~~ pie; and the1Crofs of ChriO: was<planled ·irt the Hearts of Men. The .pur~ Beams of thy Suh of Rig!lteoUfnefs quiclilfe'\\ingui!h'q !li~ Fires of the•Devil's Altars., and the real Miracles pe'rfornled.~y · th e Difine Power elipos'd his lying. Won~ers to contempt. Accord~ ingly the Apofl:le tells the Thejf'alo>iians, 1 'f.heC·L 9· For they thentfilves foew of 111, wh<t »ttt.nner ofenlring in we had nnto you, and how ye turned to God from Idols, to ferve the Li· ving and trll~ Go4, and to Waif for -his Son [ro11i- Heav~u, whom he raifed from the dead, even Jefos which de/iverc"d "'from ihe Wratlho cume. ·Innnm:rable from fecret Atheifm and publick Gmlilifm were converted to acknowledge. a~d accept of the Redeemer for their Lord. · What could produce fudr a mar.vello,us ·Change m the' World but an Almi?hty Power? How feemingly impoffible ~,as itt~ bring fo m~tly, who.~erepron~ i.n th~ir Natures, perverfe iii their Cufl:oms, and nidubJtably affentong to theor falfe Rehgoons, from fuch a dillance as theWorrloip of induni~raBie Deities,' £b adore a Crqhlfied God ? Twas admirable that Alexander brok~ the Pirfali-EJllpire with an ~rmy of•.'Fpitty Thoufand: .But ' what is there cqmparable in that covque~ to the All:~bf the Apofl:les j How .mu_ch lefs difficult is it for fome Nations r'o cH:inge. ·~l;oeii Kingl, ' than for aii•H\ ,change their Gods? How fa.( more eafy'is1t ,to overrortfe th'e 'Bodies of Men, than fubaue iheir SoQ)s? Upon the mdfl: hall: fnquity, tfiete 4.ln hC\<tr be fqund .i~ humane•Nat,ure, any caufe capable to produce' fuc;li an Eff'ell: 'nor in ~he)t;cords' of aH 'Ages any Exilmple like.it. •· 1 'Add (o· thi~ Ih~ ixcellent',Ref6rmation ln' tire Hearts and 'Lives ofMeiJ. As their Underf!andings · Co their Wills and Alfell:io.ns-, .the.fqurces .of All:ion, were mirkulouflyaifer'~. Wh;t \he Sages of-rbe·y/'Qfld could ·.nof .elfell: in a few felell: Perfons, the Go. fpel .bath done in great Num'be.rs,; ' nay rais'd'th~m abov.. all their feigo'd'Jdeas, above ~~~u~~~~~at~~c~v~;~~h,;:;.g[~;::,e;;;t;t~ ~r~~~e,;}r~i~~ i:~~ :~~~~~sa ~:~~:~~ant;~~ Gofpel bath ram·~ and brought into order :" It bath e~ecmed' wh~t Phildfophy durfl: never eht<;[P'~fe, · defp_ai:~g of.fuccef~ • .The Gofpel· overciune al1 thofe '?'rnal Relull:anc!es th~t f~e?1;d. mful?e!'-lile.: !.t mad~; t~;· wtfe Men of t~J'Wo_rl.o refigr: thet~~e~fon to Faoth; tt perfuadefl> can\ai · M~rr to·morpfy,-the Fle{\t; "th"*wbottous t9 ' defpofe Secular· Honours, th<"V61ulj',tu6ufrb ·renounce flMr J'!e~fures;·'~hc!'Covetous 1tb ·8iO:ribute· thdr Goods to ' ~:,~tii~~:~e?j~~~~~~~tt ~t~:~~";s~~~~ fn~=f~n~~<I-W~;~;~~t~; i~~;~et~ riiipcU!ouOy trfdsfd'fm'd ·p.8 ,,, into Chrifi.iahs; which was as truly won&rful, as for the • , A Bajilisl{
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