APPENDIX. 193 nent work of God himself. (1.) In that it is yet done on so many of his chosen ones, in all ages and places. (2.) In that, as hard as it is, he usually turneth the hearts of sinners tohimself in a very little time. Sometimes byone sermon. (3.) It is a work that none can do but God, who hath the power ofsouls. (4.) It is a work so good, that it beareth God's own. image. It is but the writing of his law and gospel on men's hearts. None is spmuch for it as God. Satan apparently fighteth against it with all the power he can raise in the world. Mark it, and you will find that most of the stir that there is in the world, by false teach- ers, and tyrants, and private malice, is but Satan's wars against faith, and holiness, and love. Certainly it is not he that promot- eth them. 4. And it is evident in experience, that it is the gospel of Christ which God useth and blesseth, to do this great sanctifying work on souls. Among Christians, none areconverted by any other means. And God would not bless a word of falsehood and deceit to such great and excellent effects. All that are made holy and heavenly, and trulyconscionable, among us, are made so by Christ's gospel. And all the wicked are enemies to the serious practice of it, or rebels that despise it. The effects daily prove that God himself owneth it as his words Ifyou say, there are asgood men among the heathens and Ma- hometans, as holy, heavenly, and just; I answer, it is none of my business to depreciate other men, but I can say, (1.) That I have lived above seventy-seven years, and I never knew one serious, holy person in England, that was made such by the writings of heathens or Mahometans. (2.), Many excellent things are in the writings of some heathens--Plato, Cicero, Hierocles, Plutarch, Antonine, Epictetus, and many others; but I miss in them the ex- pressions of that holy and heavenly flame of mind and life, and that victory over the flesh and world, which Christianity containeth. (3.) Christ is like the sun, whose beams give some light before it is seen itself at its rising, and after it is set. The light of Jews and heathens was as the dawning of the day hefore. sun-rising. And the light among the Mahometans is like the light of the sun, which leaveth it when it is set. Doubtless, the same God who bath used Mahometans to be his dreadful scourge to wicked Christians, who abused the gospel by a false profession, bath also used them to do abundance of good against idolatry in the heathen world. Wherever.they come, idol- atry is destroyed. Yea, the corrupt Christians, Greeks, and es- pecially Papists, that worship images, angels, and bread, are re- buked and condemned,. justly, by MAO/Details. But O, that they VOL. tt. 25
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