Serin. CXLIII. conferr'd on the Bpo/lles. 2 á3- more eafy and fpeedy Conveyance of the DoEtrineof Chriftianity, and theDif- fufing and Spreading the Knowledge of it in theWorld 5 and this, if we confider it, notas a Miracle, but only as a Means fo very convenient to this Purpofe, 'that, by the Advantage of it, the Gospel made a greater Progrefs in the Space of a few Years, than in Humane Probability could have been made without it in manyAges ; and it was fpread farther in thirty. Years, than could in Reafon have been expe&ed in Fifteen hundred, by natural and ordinary Means : So mightily grew the Word ofGod, and prevailed; being carried on in fo powerful and Cuper- natural a Manner. Fifthly, We will confider, why this was the firft miraculous Gift,, conferred upon the Apoftles more vifibly; and before any of the refl. The other miraculous Pow- ers were only vilible in their Effe&s; but this was v'tuble, not only in the Effeeri ofit, but likewife in the Caufe and theManner of its being conferr'd : For the Hoy Spirit reliedupon them, in the Form offiery damnTongues ; to fignify, not only theDi- verfity of Languages which they ( hould be enabled to fpeak, but the quickand pier- cing Efficacyof their Speech. TheReafonof all which feems tobe, becaufe this was the greateft of all Miracles, and therefore fit tobe firft : For as I(hewed before, this, inthe judgment ofour Saviour, (whobelt undertlood the different Degrees of Mira- cles) this was greater than any of thofe w4dch he himfelf in his Life-time had wrought; and likewife, becaufe this Miraclewas ofgreaer Ufethan anyof therth, and more necefl'ary to the effe&ual Difcbarge of their Apottolical Office, and to the eáfySuccefs, and more fpeedyEffe&of it. For by this miraculous Gift more efpe- cially, theApoftles were as it were confecrared to theirOffice, and made capable to difchargeit with Eafe andEffet; their OffiOffice beingto publith theDo&rineof the Gofp'el to theWorld, and to beWitnefiès of our Saviour's Recurre&ion from the Dead, which was to be the great Confirmation of his Do&rine, neither of which theycould, with any Probabilityof Effe&and Succefs, have donewithqut this mira- culous Gift : For what flow Progrefsmutt they have made, and how little could they- have advanced in this Work, had they either done all by Interpreters, or been put to have learned the Languages of the feveral Nations, to which they had been to preach, before they could have publifh'd thisDo&rine among them ? The yews,whowereveryzealousof their Religion,(whichwas I ikewife fromGod, and was attefted by Miracles) upon Oècàfion of feveral Calamities which befel them, and carried them into Captivity, were difperfed in feveral Nations ; and Yet hocb (lowly, forWant of this Gift, did they gain Profelytes to their Religion And how few did they convert to it in;the Space of four or five hundred Years? By which we may judge how little Chriftianity would havé gamed upon the World, had it not been countenanced and äffi@éd frtíin Heaven in this miracu- lous Manner; I.come now to the .. Sixth and Latt Thing which I propofed to enquire into; namely, :n'bether there be anyNeceffity now, and confequently, Probability of the renewing of this Mi- racle, in order to the Convërfrmof Infidels,. and the gaiding over of thofe many and great Nations in the remoter Parts of the World, who are trill Strangers and Enemies to the Chriflian Religion. That which would induce a Man to hopewell in thisCafe, is, that without fuch fume miraculous Gift, there is little or no Probabilityof the Converfion of Infidel Nations; unlefs God (hould he pleafed, by forne unexpe&ed Means, to bring over to Chriftianity fome powerful Prince, of great Reputation for his Wifdom and Vir- tue 5 who by the Influence, of his Example, and by his Favour and Countenance, might give Advantages to thePlanting ofit artiong his Subjetês. Andyet confide- ring the inveterateand violent Prejudices of Men again it a newReligion, fuch an Attempt would, in all HumaneProbability, be more likely to end in the Ruin of the Prince, and the Overturning ofhisGovernment, than in the Eftablifhmentof new Religion. Of which Kind there have been feveral In(tances very remarkable inyapan and IEthiapia, and perhaps in Places andTime neater to us, arid within our own Memory. . But if any inch Thing fnould be attempted bÿ private Perfon , the Undertaking wouldmeet with filch infuperableObftacles, not onlyfrom the Prejudices and inte- reftof Men, bitt frotri thegreat Diftletilty Of:gaining Langdages fodifferent fromour li.. o e f3K/ff
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