Page images
PDF
EPUB

First years of his Miniftry: I fay, even this Book it felf) doth contain an account of the spreading of the Gospel, forwards, thro' many Eastern Countries; and, backwards, thro' a great part of the Weft: of its piercing, on the one fide, into all the Civiliz'd, and fome of the Barbarous Provinces of Afia; and, on the other, as far as the great Metropolis of Europe, Rome it felf; fo mightily grew the Word of God, and prevail'd!

Indeed, The Writers of the Story of the Church do with one confent agree, that Scythia, India, Gaul, and Egypt, all the most distant parts of the World Then known, had the Doctrine of Chrift conveyed to them in less than forty years, i. e. before the destruction of the Jewish State by Titus.

And what degree of Success the Voice of thefe Preachers had in the several Countries, thro' which it founded, we may learn from the Antient Apologists, who, e'er Two Centuries were as yet run out, pleaded for Christianity, on the account of its vaft and incredible numbers; reprefented to the Heathen Emperors,

SERM

III.

A&ts xix.

20.

SERM.

III.

perors, that their Courts, their Camps, their Cities, their Provinces, were all full of them; and that it was impoffible to extirpate them, without deftroying the far Greater part of their Subjects.

The Gospel is frequently in the New Teftament compar'd to Light: and it did in nothing more resemble Light than in This, that, as foon as the Heavenly Doctrine, therein contain'd, arose upon the World, it darted its Bright Rays, and and diffus'd its quickning Influence from Eaft to Weft, with an unconceivable SwiftLuk. xvii. nefs. This Kingdom of God came not with 20, 21, Observation, neither could Men Say, Lo

Here, and Lo There! That is, (as we may interpret the Words) it did not establish it self like other Kingdoms, in a flow and leisure manner, fo as that Lookers-on might trace it eafily from its Rife through the feveral Steps of its Progrefs; but fix'd it felf at once almost every where, with fo rapid and amazing a Course, as did, as it were, leave the Eyes and Obfervation of Men behind it. And still, as it went along, it gain'd mighty fpoils from all Religions, and

gather'd

4807

III.

Unto Luk. xiii. 18,19,20,

And

21,

gather'd vaft multitudes of every Coun- SER M. try under its Banners. And, therefore, well did the Founder of this Kingdom thus prophefy concerning it: what is the Kingdom of God like? whereunto shall I refemble it? It is like a Grain of Mustard-feed, which a Man took, and threw into his Garden; and it grew, and waxed a great Tree: and the Fowls of the Air lodged in the Branches of it. And, again he faid, Whereunto shall I liken the Kingdom of God? It is like Leaven, which a Woman took, and bid in three measures of meal, until the Whole was leavened.

But because the matter of Fact it felf, [That there was fuch a fudden and prodigious increase of Converts to Chriftianity] is on all Hands fo well agreed upon, as to need no folemn Proof; it may fuffice to have given this fhort Account of it.

I go on now, in the Second place, to prove, that this Succefs of the Gospel was certainly miraculous, and owing chiefly to the mighty Operations, and effectual Affiftances of the Holy Spirit of God:

and

II.

SER M. and that, for this plain Reafon; because

III.

the Natural and Vifible Causes, which concurr'd to the production of this great Effect, were not any ways Equal to the Effect produc'd; and, therefore, fome Supernatural and Invisible Cause must needs have given birth to it.

The Appearing Causes and Inftruments of this Wondrous Revolution were, chiefly, Twelve Men, of obfcure Birth and Parentage, of the meaneft Education, of the plaineft and fimpleft Understandings, unpolish'd by Learning and Eloquence, unimprov'd by Experience and Converse; Men of no Subtlety, no Art, no Address; who had no manner of Authority, Intereft, or Repute in the World. These Men undertake to convince the World, that One Jefus, a Man, who had just before expir'd publickly on a Crofs, was the true God, bleffed for ever; and, in confequence of this, to preach up a Doctrine, the most unwelcome to Flesh and Blood that could be, the moft repugnant to Mens natural Defires and Inclinations, to their fettled Habits, and inveterate Prejudices; contrary to the Establish'd

IIL

Rites and Religions of all Countries, and SER M in all Ages of the World. They fet out from Jerufalem, with this Defign; they disperse themselves thro' all the quarters of the Earth, they fucceed every where: and, in a very short time, prevail with great Multitudes, in every Nation, and Kingdom, to submit to the Laws, and to own the Religion of Jefus.?:

Now, I fay, here was no manner of Proportion between the Cause, and its Effect; between the Work which was wrought, and the Inftruments which wrought it: and therefore we may, and must from hence conclude, that a Divine Invifible Power went along with them in every Step, and miraculously blefs'd their Endeavours Which Truth that it may appear to you in its full Strength and Evidence, I fhall confider more particularly, Which (naturally fpeaking) are the best Advantages for a New Opinion to set up with, and under what Circumstances it is most likely to prevail; and I fhall fhew, that the Chriftian Religion was utterly deftitute of Every One of these Advantages, and yet, nevertheless, did prevail.

Now

« PreviousContinue »