Sent. XX. of the Gofpel by the, Apofllei. 147 the Cafe : When the DoEtrine of the Gofpel was.firft Publifhed in the World, the whole World, both yews and Gentiles, were violently prejudiced againff it, feveral Religions. The yews indeed in former times had been very prone to relinquifh the Wor- fhip of the True God, and to fall into the, Heathen Idolatry : But after God had Punifhed them feverely for that Sin, by a long Captivity, they continued ever after, very ftrickt and firm to the Worfhip of the True God ; and never were they more tenacious of their Religion and Law, than at that very time when our. Savi- our appeared in the World : And though He was foretold in their Law, and moft particularly defcribed, in the authentick Books of their Religion, the Prophets of the Old Teftament ; yet by reafon of certain groundlefs Traditions, which they had received from the Interpreters of their Law, That their Me./fas was to be a great Temporal Prince, they conceived an invincible Prejudice against our Saviour, upon account of the Mean Circumftancesin which he appeared ; and upon this Prejudice they rejected him, and put him to death, and perfecuted his Followers : And though their Religion was much nearer to the Chriftian, thanany of the Heathen Idolatries; yet upon this account, of our Saviour's Mean Appearance, they were much more averfe to the Entertainment of it, than the groffeft Idolaters among the Nations. Not but that their Prejudice alfo was very great ; the common People being ftrongly addiéted to the Idolatry and Superftitions of their feveral Countries ; and the Wifer, and more Learned (whom they call'd their Philofephers) were fo puff up, with a conceit of their own Knowledge and Eloquence, that they defpifed the rudenefs and fìmplicity of the Apoftles, and look'd upon their Dofrine of a Crucified Saviour, as ridiculous, and the Story of his Refurretlion from the dead, as abfurd and impoffible. So St. Paul tells us, that the Crofs of Chr f was to the yews a fumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolifhnefs. But betides the Oppofition which the Gofpel met withal, from the Lofts and Prejudices of Men, the Powers of the World did likewife ftrongly combine against it. Among the Yews, the Chief Priefts and Rulers did, with all their force and malice, endeavour to Rifle it in the birth, and to fupprefs it in its firft rife and feveral of the Roman Emperors, who were then the great Governors of the World, engaged all their Authority, and their whole Strength, for the extirpar tion of it, and raifed fuch a ftorm of Perfecution againft it, as fwept away great- er numbers ofMankind than any Famine or Plague or War that ever was in the Roman Empire : And yet this Religion bore up againft all this Oppofition, and made its way through all the Refiftance, that the Lufts and Prejudices of Men, armed with the Power and Authority of the whole World, could make againft it. And this brings me to the 5. And Taft Confideration I mentioned, thegreat difcouragement that was given to the Entrance of this Religion. There was nothing left to invite and engage Men to it, but the Confideration of another World; for all the Evils of this World threatned every one that took the Profeflion of Chriftianity upon him. Whoever was known to be a Chriftian, was liable to Reproach and Ruin, to cruel Mockings and Scourgings, to Banifh- ment, or Imprifonment and Confifcation of Eftate ; but thefe were flight and tole- rable Evils, in comparifon of others that were commonly inflicted upon them they were condemned to the Mines, and to the Lions, and all imaginable Cruel- ties were exercifed upon them; the moft exquifite Torments that couldbe devifed; and Death in all its fearful fhapes was prefented to them, to deter Men from em- bracing this Religion, and to tempt them to quit it.: And yet they perfifted in the Profeffionof their Religion, and for the fake of it, did not only take joyfully the boiling oftheir goods, but the molt barbarous ufage of their Perfans, and demeaned thenfelves not only withPatience and Courage, but with Exultation andTriumph, under thofe Tortures which no Man can hear or read of, without horror : And they did not only bear up thus manfully, for one brunt ; but when thefe violent Perfecutions were renewed and repeated upon them, Chriftianity fupported it fel# under all thefe daunting Difcotwagements for almoft Three hundredYears, and held U 3 outs
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