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

¹3. The lasting Change made by the Gospel is the Effect of Infinite Power. Philosophy though maintained by the successive force of the greatest Wits, yet declined and came to nothing. But Christianity attended only by its own Authority, established its Dominion, and raised an Eternal Empire of Truth and Holiness in the World. The Reason of Man cannot inspire into its Productions a Principle of Life, only that Power which conveys to Man an immortal Soul, can derive to its Institutions a Spirit to Animate and preserve them. And this Victorious Permanent Efficacy of the Gospel is more admirable,² in regard it prevailed without the assistance, and against the opposition of all. The more it was oppressed the more it prospered. It gained credit and Disciples by Contradiction and Persecution; it was multiplied by the Deaths of its followers. The Cloud of Witnesses dissolving in a shower of Blood, made the Church Fruitful. Although some Persecutors have boasted of their utter abolishing the Christian Name in all parts of the Empire; yet those inscriptions are the Proud Monuments of their Vanity, not Victory. Tyrants are perished, but Truth remains for ever. By which 'tis evident, that as the Gospel had a higher Principle than what is from below, so it was assisted with more than Humane Power. To sum up in short what hath been amplified; how Gloriously was the Arm of the Lord revealed in raising the World that ⟨p. 457⟩for four thousand years lay in Wickedness? What less than a Divine Power could soften such an obstinate hardness as long custom in Sin brings? What could pluck up errors that had taken such deep root in the Spirits of Men, and were Naturalized to them, and plant a Discipline so austere and thorny to sense? Who but the Almighty could cast out the Devil from his Empire, and withdraw his Subjects that were captivated by the terror of Laws, and by the delights of the flesh? What invisible Power made innumerable of the tender sex who were not by temper courageous, nor by obstinacy inflexible, nay, who were so fearful that they could not see a drawn sword without affrightment, yet so resolute, as to despise all the instruments of Cruelty? What is more astonishing than to see a flock of sheep encounter and overcome an Army of Lyons? This was the Lords doing, and ought to be marvellous in our Eyes.