Ver.I 7. the 17th Chapter of Si. ,j O H N. {hall mention Augufiine's Dilemma ; ' If the Miracles related by our Writers be true' then they give experience of the Truth of Scripture; if fake and feigned, then this is a Miracle above all Miracles, that the Chriftian Religion fhould prevail in fuch a ' manner as it bath done in the World. You, will fay fo too, if you do but confider the Circumftances of this Succefs 5 the Do&vineit Pelf, contrary. to Nature; it is a Re- ligion that doth not court the Senfes, nor woe the Flefh 5 it offereth no fplendot d Life,nor Pleafures,nor Profits; it biddeth us to deny all thefe things,and expe& Perfeen- tion ; Self - denial is the firti Lefton that is learned in Chrifl's School ; Mat. 16. 24. If any Man will come after me, let him deny himfelf, and take up the Croft and follow me. Ad Crates to a Woman that courted him, chewed his bunched back. The Devil difguifeth his Temptations, and concealeth the worft. Chriftianity bath its Allurements, but they are either Spiritual; or to be made good in another World, here they have Comfort with Perfecution. Mark 10. 30. He 'call receive an hundred fold now in this Life; Houle!, and Brethren, and Sifters, and Mothers, and Children, and Lands, with Perfe cations; and in the World to come Eternal Life: Here they,have Support and Comfort, but fill Trouble and Exercife. And the Do &sine is as contrary to our Lulls, as our Interefts : Col. 3.5. Mortify therefore your Members which are upon the Earth, Fornica- tion, Vncleannefs, inordinate *Ilion!, evil Coneupifcence, and Covetaufnefs, which is Idolatry. As dear and as near as a Joint of the Body is, yea, the nioft ufeful One, it is to be cut off: Mat. 5. 29, 30. If thy right Eye offend thee, pluck it out, and caft it from thee, &c..And if thy right Hand offend thee, cut it of and eft it from thee. Now that this fhould prevail, it argueth a Divine Power. Mahomet allured his Followers with fair Promifes of Security and carnal Pleafure 5 there Wind and Tide went one way. Man is very credulous of what he defireth 5 but Chriftianity teacheth Men to row againfi the Stream of Flefh and Blood, and to bear out Sail agairilt all the Blafts and furious Winds without : here was nothing lovely to a carnal Eye. This for the Dom &tine it felt. Again 5 Look upon the Perlons that were to manage it, the contemptiblehefi of the Inftruments which God tiled in promoting the Word; a few Fifhermen, deftitute of all worldly Props and Aids, of no Power, Wealth, Wifdom, Authority, and other fuch Advantages as were wont to beget a repute in the World, yet they preached; and converted many Nations; they had no Publick Intereft, and were not backed with the Power and Authority of Princes, as Superltitions are wont to prevail by their Countenance and Example 5 Every one fieeth the Face of the Ruler : But the Golpel had gotten firm footing in the World, long e're there was a Prince to countenance it 5 there were many to perfecute it, but none to profefs it. It is notable, that at firft, as God's Inftruments were poor and contemptible, fo were the Perfons that received their Meffage. James 2. 5. Hearken, my beloved Brethren, Hath not God chafen the Poor of this World rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom which he path promifed 1 He fpeaketh it as a known Obfervation in that Age. Tho now, as the Church is conftituted it is otherwife, and fometimes God chufeth the Rich, and fometimes the Poor 5 but then thofe that were poor and defpicable, that it might be known they were not moved with any.outward Refpe&s to profefs the Truth, and that the Glory of his Power might be known, in pret rving and propagating Religion, when definite of worldly Succours and Supports 5 Ne videretur authoritate traxi aliquas, ( faith lmbrofe) ? veritatis ratio, non pampa gratia pravaleret. It was much that Chrillianity, fupported by fuch (to appearance) defpicable Inftruments, should hold up the Head : yea, the Powers of the World were againft it, Bonds, and Sufferings, and Af$i &ions, and Deaths, did abide them every where, horrible Tortures, and very frequent; never did War, Peftilence, or Famine, fweep away fo many as the firft Perfecutions. Thus were Chriftians murdered, and butchered every where, and yet Rill they multiplied, and were not frightned by their Calamities 5 as the Ifraelités grew by their Oppreffion in Egypt 5 or as a Tree that is lopped, tèndeth out the more Sprouts. Chriftianity flou- rifhed molt, when the fcorching heat of Perfecution was at the higheft. And as they were without Power and worldly Interefts, fo they had not filch Gifts of Art, Eloquence and Policy as the World had, with whom they had to deal. You feet in the Scriptures, all is carried on in a plain way, without Art, and Pomp of Words. `Paul was learned indeed, but he layeth afide his Ornaments, left the Power of the Crofs of Chrift thould be made void. r Cor. 2. 3, 4, 5. and 1 was with you in weak- net, and in fear, and in much trembling. And.wsy Speech, and my Preaching, was not with inticing words of Man's YVt fdom, but in demonftration of the Spirit, and of Power, That
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