mighty power and influence over Mankind, and would have gained the Great, and the Wife, and the Learned, to have been active inftruments in the propagating of this Religion, and in perfwading men to the embracing of it.

But he, whofe ways are above our ways, and whofe thoughts are above our thoughts, as the heavens are above the earth, did not think fit to have it promoted and carried on this way; nay, he feems on purpose to have ftrip'd it of all fecular advantages, that it might be perfectly free from all fufpition of a worldly interest and defign, and that it might be evident to all the World, that is was a plant which his own right hand had planted; and that it did not owe its establishment to the Authority, and Wisdom, and Contrivance of men, but to the power of God, and to the immediate favour and contrivance of Hea

ven.

Sermon

And now being thus deftitute of all worldly affiftance, tho' never fo reasonable in it felf, it was not likely that

it

XI.

it should be able with fuccefs to grap Volume ple with the Lufts and Corruptions of XII. men, to which it was fo directly opposite; nor with the strong Prejudices of their Education in a contrary Religion, which are always hard to be overcome; nor with the temporal Interefts of men, which were all at that time to be renounced and quitted for its fake; unless it had some other advantages to make way for it, and to recommend it to the minds of men. For having no fecular baits and allurements to tempt men to the profeffion of it, no earthly contrivance and affiftance to fupport it and bear it out; but on the contrary, the most violent and powerful oppofition raised against it; it was neceffary that those who offer'd it to the World, fhould be able to give Credit to it fome other way, and to produce very fenfible and convincing Arguments of another kind: otherwise they might have defpaired of ever conquering the Prejudices of men against it, and of perfwading them to embrace that Religion, which was fo apparently contrary both to their inclinations and interefts.

So

So that in thefe circumftances, in or- Sermon der to the full conviction of men, XI that thofe who publish'd this Doctrine to them came from God, and were commiffioned and fent by him to teach the World, it was very fitting, that God himself fhould give some remarkable Teftimony to the first Preachers of it: and this the Text tells us he did, by bearing witness to them, with figns and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the holy Ghoft.

For the better understanding of thefe words, we fhall do well to reHect upon the defign of this Epistle, which was to establish the Jews, who had but newly embrac'd Christianity, in the ftedfaft belief and profeffion of it, notwithstanding the troubles and perfecutions which attended it; and to this end the Apostle reprefents to them, that the Gospel was deliver'd with more Authority, and had a greater confirmation given to it,than the Law. The Law was delivered by Angels ; but the Gospel by the Son of God: and if the contempt of the Law was

fo feverely punih'd, what might they Volume expect would be the fate of thofe XII. who fhould flight and reject the Gofpel? If the word Spoken by Angels was ftedfaft, and every tranfgreffion and dif obedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect fo great falvation, which at first began to be Spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him! God also bearing them witnefs, with figns and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the holy Ghoft, according to his own will. EuvETTIμαρτυρον το θες, God adjoyning this farther testimony of figns and wonders The Apostles teftified what they had heard from our Lord; and to give credit and confirmation to their teftimony, God was pleafed to endow them with miraculous gifts, he bare them witness with figns, and wonders, and miracles. So likewise, Acts 14. 3. it is faid, that God gave teftimony to the word of his grace, granting figns and wonders to be done by the Apostles. Sometimes there are more words put together, to exprefs the giving of this miraculous Power. Acts 2. 22. Jefus of Nazareth approved of God by

XI.

miracles, and wonders, and figns. 2 Cor. 12. 12. St. Paul, fpeaking of himself, Sermon fays, The figns of an Apostle were wrought among you, in all patience, in figns, and wonders, and miracles. These were the marks of an extraordinary and immediate Commiffion, fuch as was that of the Apoftles.

It is to no purpose nicely to enquire into the difference of these words, σημεία, τέρατα, δυνάμεις, figns, wonders, and miracles, becaufe in all probability, there is no difference intended, it being the manner of the Hebrews, when they would exprefs a great thing, or a great degree of any thing, to heap feveral words together, fignifying the fame thing. So we find Deut. 5. 6. Thou shalt love thy Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy might, that is, Greatly, with a very ardent and intenfe degree of affection. So likewife in the Text, God is faid to bear witness to the Apostles with figns, and wonders, and miracles, that is, in a very eminent and extraordinary manner, by great and wonderful Miracles.