284 / 514
276
n
RAT}ONÁL 'DEFENCE
°ÓP\
THE. GOSPEL.
[SÈÁÍví.
xpr.
But the number of
these have
not
been
exceeding:
great.:
God.has.ordainedthatthere
should
be some,
to
shew
that
it
is
no foolish
and unreasonable doctrine,
that
it
is
not a religion
unworthy of
kings,
nor unbecoming
the
wisest
and
the
greatest
of
characters.
But
if
there have
been
but
a
few
great
and
wise
have-
embraced, it,
it
is
evident
that
its success
and
glory
is
not
owing
to the
wis-
dom and
power
of
men,
but
to the divinity
of
its
doc
-'
trines,' and the power
of God.
Besides,
I
might tell
you, secondly,
that
riches,
and
grandeur,
and
elevated
degrees,
of
wit
and
learning,
be-
come
a
sore temptation-
to
-pride
of
mind
and
self-suffi-
ciency.
Now
the'faith
of
the
gospel
is
founded
in
hu-
mility,
and-
self
-
diffidence,
and
poverty
Of
spirit;
and
-
this
is
one
plain reason
why
it
was
received
by
so
few:
of
the rich, and
-the
learned, and the
mighty,
among
men; though
it-
was
contrived and
invented- by
God
himself
I
answer,
in
the
third
place,
that
it
is
one
of
the
de-
signed
characters of
the true gospel
of
Christ, and
it
is
-,
foretold
by:
the
ancient
prophets,-
that
when
it
should
come to be
preached upon
the earth, the poor
should
receive
it.
Its
reception
by the
poor and
weak
among.
men,
is
one evidence
that
it-comes
from
God;
.Mat.
xi.
5.
When
John
the
baptist
sent
his
disciples to
our
Savi-
our
to,
know whether
he
was
'the
Messiah,
or must
they
expect another?
Go,
tell
John,
the
:blind
receive sight,
the
deaf
hear,
and
the lame
walk,
and
to-
the
poor
the
gospel
is
preached;
blessed
is
he
that
is
not
offended in
me,
&c.
Go and
give
John
this very
account
I
now-re-
late
to
-you,
and tell
him
these
are
my
credentials, these
are.the
testimonials:
I
bring.
John
will infer
that
I
am'
the:
Messiah,
and
this
is
the
true
gospel
that I
preach
;
for
the
great
and
rich,
and the pretenders
to.wisdom
arnong.the
"Jews,
account it
a stone
of
stumbling,
and
a
rock
of
offence,
.and only
a few
of
the poor
receive
it;
as
it
was
foretold
by the
prophets,
Each
of
us
may
say
therefore,
if
only
the
wise,
or
ti-ie
great
or the
rich,
believed
'it,
it
must have
been
-such
a
gospel
as
I-
could
never
have
believed
;
for
it
wanted
one:
character
Which is:
necessarily
adjoined
to
it,
that
is
that
the.poor
receive the gospel:
Father,
I
thank
thee,
says
our
Lord,
that
thou
hast
hid these things from the
wise