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

How seemingly impossible was it to bring so many, who were proud in their natures, perverse in their customs, and indubitably assenting to their false Religions, from such a distance as the Worship of innumerable Deities, to adore a Crucified God? 'Twas admirable that Alexander broke the Persian Empire with an Army of Thirty Thousand: but what is there comparable in that Conquest, to the Acts of the Apostles? How much less difficult is it for some Nations to change their Kings, than for all ⟨p. 449⟩to change their Gods? How far more easy is it to overcome the bodies of Men, than subdue their Souls? Upon the most exact inquiry, there will never be found in humane nature any cause capable to produce such an effect, nor in the Records of all Ages any example like it.

How seemingly impossible was it to bring so many, who were proud in their natures, perverse in their customs, and indubitably assenting to their false Religions, from such a distance as the Worship of innumerable Deities, to adore a Crucified God? 'Twas admirable that Alexander broke the Persian Empire with an Army of Thirty Thousand: but what is there comparable in that Conquest, to the Acts of the Apostles? How much less difficult is it for some Nations to change their Kings, than for all ⟨p. 449⟩to change their Gods? How far more easie is it to overcome the bodies of Men, than subdue their Souls? Upon the most exact inquiry, there will never be found in humane nature any cause capable to produce such an effect, nor in the Records of all Ages any example like it.

Add to this the excellent Reformation in the hearts and lives of Men. As their understandings, so their wills and affections the sources of action were miraculously altered. What the Sages of the World could not effect in a few select Persons, The Gospel hath done in great numbers, nay raised them above all their feigned Ideas, above the highest pitch of their Proud Philosophy. Those strong and furious passions which Natural Reason was as unable to restrain, as a thread of silk is to govern a fierce beast, the Gospel hath tamed and brought into order: It hath executed what Philosophy durst never enterprise, despairing of Success. The Gospel hath made the Wise Men of the World resign their Reason to Faith; it hath persuaded Carnal Men to mortify the Flesh, the Ambitious to despise secular Honours, the Voluptuous to renounce their Pleasures, the Covetous to distribute their Goods to the Poor, the Injured and Incensed to forgive their Enemies, and all this for Love to God, an affection unknown to all other Laws and Institutions. Where-ever it came, it miraculously transformed Pagans into Christians, which was as truly Wonderful, as for the Basilisk to part with its Poison, for a Wolfe to be changed into a Lamb, nay, for Dogs, (such were the Gentiles in our Saviours Language) to be changed into Angels of light and purity. An eminent instance we have of its efficacy in the Corinthians, who in their Heathen-state were