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

The sacred story tells us, that when the Apostle Preached at Athens, that was as much the seat of Superstition as of Sciences, the Epicureans and Stoics though most opposite in their Principles, yet conspired to encounter him; they entertained him ⟨p. 441⟩with scorn, what will this Babbler say? and his success was but small there. He that fished with a net in other places, and brought great numbers to Baptism, there did only with an angle, and caught but one or two Souls. And in the progress of the Gospel they persisted in their opposition. The most grave and virtuous among them censured the Martyrs as fool-hardy in their generous Sufferings for the Name of Jesus Christ. Antoninus accused the Christians of obstinacy in their readiness to endure Torments.¹ Arrianus represents their Courage as proceeding from a customary contempt of Death, which he opposes to Judgment and Reason. Crescens the Stoic was the Persecutor of Justin Martyr. In all Ages the Gospel felt the sharp points of their malicious Wits. They despised it as an ill-contrived Fable, as the entertainment of small Understandings, And Faith,² as the presidium of the weak and illiterate, who were incapable of consideration. Now when those who were in highest reputation for their Morality and Learning, discountenanced Christianity, it was a strong Argument to move the vulgar Heathens to judg of it as a mere delusion. In our Saviours time 'twas urged as a sufficient reason against the receiving of Him as sent from God, Because none of the Pharisees, ³the most learned, and most likely to understand the Prophecies ⟨p. 442⟩concerning the Messiah, believed on him.

The sacred story tells us, that when the Apostle Preacht at Athens, that was as much the seat of Superstition as of Sciences, the Epcureans and Stoicks though most opposite in their Principles, yet conspir'd to encounter him; they entertained him ⟨p. 441⟩