withstanding both their own weaknefs, and the mighty oppofition they were fure to meet withal, could be owing to nothing but a full and entire perfuafion of Divine affiftance, and an inward consciousness, that they were en-: dued with power from on high.

But that they should, fo wonderfully, and above all human expectation, fucceed in this defign, and should perfuade men, in fuch numbers, of all ranks, not only to believe, but alfo to engage themselves to maintain the belief of a thing fo much against all their present ease and intereft, was what nothing less than the mighty Power of God could effect.

a

If this device had been of men it must of, neceffity have come to nought, as Gamaliel wifely argued; fince it wanted all those advantages which can give an Impofture any probability of fucceeding. For whoever defigns to put a cheat upon the world, and draw dif ciples after him to maintain it, with any hopes: of fuccefs, muft either have fome Power and Authority to awe men, or great cunning and Policy to contrive matters fo as to deceive, them; or fome fpecious pretence of worldly Intereft, to draw them in; or elfe his doctrine

must be fuited to the corrupt inclinations of men, in order to allure them. Without fome, or all of thefe, humanly fpeaking, no inno vation of long fettled cuftom is likely to prevail. But now the Apostles had none of all thefe advantages to recommend themselves or their Doctrine. They had neither force nor craft to engage men; nor could they propose to their followers any earthly advantage, but the quite contrary: Neither did their Doctrine gratify them with the allowance of any unreasonable fenfual fatisfaction, but commanded them to mortify every unruly defire of that kind; and threatened them with eternal mifery, if they indulged themselves in any unlaw ful luft or pleasure. And yet under all these circumstances, unprovided as they were, they defigned to root out the fettled Religion of the world, and to destroy the worship of false Gods, which had for a long time prevailed, and been confirmed both by law and custom; and inftead of fuch inveterate fuperftition to plant the Doctrine of a Crucified Saviour, and to perfuade men to believe in him, without the affiftance of any human Art or Eloquence, only by a plain relation of his Life, and Death, and Refurrection, a thing feemingly incredi ble to the prejudicate opinions of those who Gg 2 valued

valued themselves for wifdom. Now how could they hope to compafs fo mighty a defign, if they had not known affuredly, that God would work with them, and confirm their word? How could they, who but a little before out of fear forfook and denied their Master, on a fudden become so full of courage, after his departure from them, as to declare those who crucified him to be murderers, and him to be raised again, and to be the Prince of Life, by whom we are to attain life Eternal; and whose witneffes they profest themselves to be, and ready to endure the greatest torments for his fake? Though they were ignorant and unlearned men, they could not but know, that a little before their time Judas of Galilee and Theudas, who had attempted innovations, and drawn difciples after them, had foon perished in their designs, and their followers been brought to nought. They knew alfo the hatred and oppofition of all the leading part of the Jews against their Mafter, when he was alive; and could not but foresee what a ftorm it would raife, to declare them guilty of his innocent blood. And moreoyer, if what they taught had been only a cunningly devifed Fable of their own contrivance, they had reafon to fufpect that fome

A

of

of themfelves, under fuch fevere trials, might fall off and discover it, and then their design must have been utterly ruined: And yet none of all these very obvious confiderations could discourage them, from profecuting an undertaking, which they certainly knew must be attended with bonds and imprisonment, and all other dangers, even death it felf. None of thofe things moved them, nor did they value their lives, fo they might fulfil their Ministry. Now their fuccefs was anfwerable to their courage and integrity; for notwithstanding all poffible human oppofition was made to them, yet they went on and prevailed every day, converting great numbers wherever they came; and in a few years, they went into the most confiderable parts of the habitable world, and left behind them living and growing evidence, that they had been there, either in perfon or by faithful deputies, by the num ber of converts which they made both among Jews and Gentiles. And yet they did not arrogate any of this fuccess to their own power, but only to the Grace of God which was with them, and to the evidence of thofe Miracles which he enabled them to work in the Name of Chrift. For b their preaching was not with enticing

Gg 3
Cor. ii. 4.

enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonftration of Spirit and of Power, that the Faith, of those who believed, might not fand in the wifdom of men, but in the Power of God; againft which no human power or contrivance can be able to stand. St. Paul frequently mentions this evidence of the Power of God going along with them, in oppofition to all the power and wisdom of the world; and fays, with a fort of triumph,

Where is now the wife? Where is the fcribe? Where is the difputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For God hath chofen the foolish things of this world to confound the wife, and the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. He hath made use of inftruments, feemingly bafe and defpifed, that the mighty effects of their Doctrine fhould be afcribed only to his Power. Though St. Paul had a more learned education than all the rest of the Apostles, yet he declares, for himself as well as the reft, We speak not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth. He was concerned only to fhew their fincerity in manifestation of the Truth; but he freely owns, We have this treasure in earthen vessels,

that

Cor. 1. 20, 27.