22S RATIONAL DEFENCE OF THE GOSPEL. sonnor their wit behind them whenthey becamechristians. Men of 'grandeur and power have sometimes also supported it with honour. But the number of these have not been exceedi ng great. God has ordainedthat there should be some, to shew that it is no foolish and unreasonable doctrine, that it is not a religion unwor- thyof kings, nor unbecoming the wisest and the greatest of cha- racters. 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 wisdom 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 grant deur, and elevated degrees of wit and learning, become a . sore . temptation to pride of mind and self-sufficiency. Now the faith of the gospel is founded in humility, and self-diffidence, and poverty of spirit ; and this is oneplain reasonwhy it was received by sp few of the rich, and the learned, and the mighty among men, though it was contrived and invented by Godhimself. I answer, in the third place, that it is one of the- designed 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 Sa- viour to knowwhether 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 thepoor the gospel is preached ; blessed is'he that isnot offended inme, tc. Go, and give John this very. account I now relate to you; and tell himthese are mycredentials, these are the testimonials I bring. Johnwill 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 among the, Jews, account it a stone of stumbling, and á rock of offence, and only a few of the ast receive it; as it was foretold by the prophets. Each of us may say therefore, if only the wise, or the 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 neces- sarily 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 andprudent, but thouhast revealed them unto babes ;; Mat xi. 25. " It pleased God, when the world by wisdom knew not God," to darken all their wisdom, and turn it into filly, and tocall those that were esteemed fools, and makethem wisein be- lieving the gospel, of Christ. It has pleased God to chuse the mean,andweak, and contemptible things of this world to confound thewiseand mighty. It has pleased him to chuse the things that
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