45 Proving le.faa to be the Meffias. Vol. I Firft, The many and great Miracles which hewrought, prove that he came from God. And, Secondly, The correfpondence of the things he did, with what was foretold by the Prophets concerning the Meffias, declarehim to be the true Meffias. I now proceed to the next thing I propounded to fpeak to, namely, Secondly, An Intimation in theText, that notwithftanding all the Evidence Chrift gave of himfelf, yet many would be offended at him, and rejeEt him and his Do&rine. In fpeaking to which, it will be very proper to confider, Firfl, How the Poor came to be mote difpofed to receive the Gofpel, than others. Secondly, What thofe Prejudices are which the World had againft our Saviour and his Religion at its firft appearance, as alfo thofe which men have at this day againft the Chriftian Religion, and to endeavour to Phew the unreafonablenefs of them. Thirdly, How happy a thing it is to efcape and overcome the common Preju- dices which Men have againft Religion. Fir/t, How the Poor came to be more difpofed to receive the Gofpel than others; the Poor have the Gofßel preached unto them. Which does not only fignify that our Saviour did more efpecially apply himfelf to them, but likewife that they were in a nearer difpofition to receive it, and did of all others give the molt ready entertainment to his Do&rine : And this our Saviour declares to us in the beginning of his Sermon upon the Mount, when he pronounceth the Poor bleffed upon this account, becaufe they were nearer to the Kingdom óf God than others; Bled are the Poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of God. So likewife St. James, Chap. 2. v. g. Hath not God chufen the poor of thisworld rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom, which he bath promifed to them that love him ? So that it feems the Poor were upon force account or other in a nearer difpofition to re- ceive the Gofpel, than the Great and Rich Men of this World. And of this there are three Accounts to be given. Firft, The Poor had no Earthly intereft to engage them to reje& our Saviour and hisDo&rine. The High- priefts, and Scribes, and Pharifees among the Jews, they had a plain worldly Intereft whichdid engage them to oppofe our Saviour and his Do&rine; for if he were received for the Meffias, and his Do&rine em- braced, they muff of neceffity lofe their Sway and Authority among the Peo- ple ; and all that which rendred them fo confiderable, their pretended skill in the Law, and in the Traditions and Obfervances of their Fathers, together with their external (hews of Piety and Devotion, would fignify nothing; if our Sa- viour and his Do&rine fhould take place. And there are very few fo honeft and fincere, as to be content for truth's fake, to part with their Reputation and Au- thority and to become lefs in the efteem of men than they were before. Few are fo impartial as to quit thofe things which they have once laid great weight up- on, and, kept a great (tir about, becaufe this is toacknowledge that they were in an Error, and miftaken in their Zeal ; which /few have the ingenuity to own, tho' it be never fo plain to others ; and therefore it is no wonder that our Sa- viour's Do&rine met with fo much refiftance from thofe, who were fo much concern'd in point of Honour andReputation, to make head againft it. And this account our Saviour himfelf gives of their Infidelity, John 5. 44. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and feek not the honour which co- meth of God only? And Chap. 12. 43. For they loved the praifi of Men more than the praife of God. And betides the point of- Reputation, thofethat were Rich, were concerned in point of Intereft, to oppofe our Saviour and his Do&rine ; becaufe he call'd upon Men to deny themfelves, and to part withHoufes and Lands, yea and lifeit felf, for hisfake, and for eheGof#el's, which mutt needs be a very hard and unpleafant Do&rine to Rich Men, who had great Eftates, and had fet their Hearts upon them. Upon this Account it is that our Saviour pronounceth it fo hard for a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdomof God; and compares it with thofe Things that are molt difficult, and Humanly impoffible g I fayunto you, it is eafier for 4 Camel
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