lytes even in Cæsar's houshold, and his bonds in Christ were manifest throughout all the palace, and in all other parts of Rome.

Nor did the christian doctrine meet with less opposition in other parts of the world; from the power of civil magistrates and rulers, from the sagacity of the Athenian philosophers, from the subtilty of the Scribes and Pharisees at Jerusalem, and from the prevalence of vice, error, interest, and prejudice every where: and yet with equal success sirmounted all impediments, and in a very short space spread itself into all places, and was embraced by almost incredible multitudes; insomuch that it was the boast of the primitive Christians, as Tertullian tells us, that they were but of yesterday, and yet filled the court, the senate-house, and every other place of public resort.

And now then, to sum up the whole of the argument, when we see this doctrine so reproached for its novelty and its opposition to all the learning and religions in credit and force among men a doctrine so despised for the obscure parentage, mean condition of life and ignominious death of its Author; a doctrine traduced and made infamous to the common people by the blackest slanders that wit and

malice could charge upon it and its professors: a doctrine utterly averse to all the blind superstitions, erroneous customs, corrupt passions, inveterate habits and dispositions of the pagan world and the natural heart of man: a doctrine, condemned for folly and madness by men of the highest reputation for wisdom; to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness; crushed and pursued in all places by the cunning of the statist and the sword of the magistrate; cried down by all the arts of rhetoric and subornation; discouraged and depressed by all the cruelties and contrivances of men and devils: and on the other hand disseminated and supported only by a few illiterate and obscure men,, of low parentage and education, of no eloquence or address, of no repute or authority, “de"spised," as a learned writer expresses it, દ as Jews by the rest of mankind, and as the "meanest and worst of Jews by the Jews thein"selves;" when we see it, notwithstanding all these disadvantages, prevail in the world, fly like the winged lightning from east to west, confound the polite Grecian, and instruct the Scythian and rude Arab in the sublime mysteries of heaven, pull down the strong holds of idolatry, take captive the civil power, and transform

*

* Atterbury.

*the

the inveterate superstitions of heathenism and the rivetted corruptions of Judaism into the charity, meekness and benevolence of christian purity: shall we cry out in the bold language of a Gibbon or Voltaire, that this arises from the fortuitous agency and co-operation of human causes; or shall we not rather say, that this is the effect of the finger of God, in a wonderful manner stretched out for its protection and support, and by a powerful agency over-ruling all things to the full accomplishment of its gracious purposes of redeeming and enlightening man

kind?

pro

2dly, If this extraordinary success and pagation of the Gospel clearly demonstrates a divine interposition in the first planting of Christianity; it also gives us no less assurance of its continuance to the end of the world, in spite of all opposition and resistance; for this is the counsel of God that shall stand, and the pleasure of Him that hath spoken, and shall bring it to pass. For as it was prophesied, that Mount

3

Sion should be exalted above the hills, and that many nations should flow into it; that Christ should be made higher than the kings of the earth; that princes should come out of Egypt, and the Morian's land stretch out her hands unto God; that the heathen should become his in

heritance,

heritance, and the utmost parts of the earth his possession; that from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same his name should be great among the Gentiles: so also it was declared by the same prophetic spirit, that his kingdom should endure for ever, and of his government there should be no end.

Vainly, therefore, will the infidel dart his poisoned arrows, and the scoffer level his profane wit; in vain will all the powers of darkness unite their efforts against our holy religion: it is founded on a rock, which no time or chance can shake its permanency and stability are irrefragably confirmed to us by the sure word of prophecy; to which, therefore, we shall do well to take heed, in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation; and to be well assured, that He, who hath begun this good work, will also continue it, even unto the end.

Lastly, The more firmly we are convinced of the operation of a divine power in planting and propagating the Gospel, the more it becomes us to reverence its precepts and practise its duties; for the more signal has been the display of God's power and mercy in making known to us the glad tidings of salvation, the heavier will be our crime, if we shut our ears against them. Let

us

us not, therefore, think it a matter of indifference, whether we are Christians or not: we must either be Christians, or we must be miserable. For as the Apostle justly argues, "If the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the "first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was "confirmed to us by them that heard him; "God also bearing them witness both with "signs, and wonders, and divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his

own will? Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we "have heard, lest at any time we should let " them slip."

VOL. III.

C

SERMON