The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

6. The Divine Power was glorified in the Conversion of the World to Christianity. The Apostle tells us, That Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Gentiles foolishness. ¹The Jews expected the Messiah to deliver them from temporal Servitude, and establish an universal Empire either by the force of Arms, or by the terror of Signs and Prodigies, as Moses did against the Egyptians. But when instead of Power they saw nothing but Weakness, and instead of a glorious Triumph, a disgraceful Punishment, they despised his Person, and rejected his Doctrine. But notwithstanding this imaginary infirmity in Christ crucified,² Yet to those that are called according to the Divine purpose, He was the most excellent Power of God. It being more glorious to subdue the World to the Faith and Obedience of a crucified Person, than if He had appeared with all the Powers of Heaven, and Princes of the Earth as his Attendants.³ For this reason the Apostle declares, He was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, it being the Power of God to Salvation to all that believe, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. And he prays for the Ephesians, ⁴That the eyes of their understandings ⟨p. 416⟩being enlightened, they might know what is the exceeding greatness of his Power to us ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty Power which He wrought in Christ, when He raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the Heavenly places. He uses various and lofty expressions, as if one had been insufficient to signify the extent and efficacy of that Power which produced the Faith of ••rist in the Heathens. And if we duly consider things, it will appear, that the terms of the Apostle are not too strong and hyperbolical, but just and equal to the degree of power requisite for the accomplishment of that great work. For the understanding of this, I will consider three things. 1. The numerous and great difficulties that obstructed the receiving of the Gospel. 2. The quality of the means by which 'twas conveyed and became successful. 3. The eminent, sudden, universal and lasting change made by it in the World.