The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

2. It was the wise design of Jesus Christ, that few in comparison should be converted by his personal converse or teaching, and thousands might be suddenly converted upon his Ascension, and the coming down of the Holy Ghost: Both because his Resurrection and Ascension were part of the Articles to be believed, and were the chiefest of all his Miracles which did convert men: And therefore he would Rise from the dead before the multitude should be called: And because the Spirit as it was his extraordinary Witness and Advocate on Earth, was to be given by him after he ascended into glory; And he would have the World see, that the Conversion of men to Faith and Sanctity, was not the effect of any politic Confederacy between him and ⟨p. 405⟩them, but the effect of Gods Power, Light and Love: so that it should be a great confirmation to our Faith to consider, that those multitudes believed by the wonderful testimony and work of the Holy Ghost, upon the Disciples, when Christ had been crucified in despite, who yet believed not before, but were his Crucifiers: It was not so hard nor honourable an act to believe in him; when he went about working Miracles, and seemed in a possibility to restore their temporal Kingdom, as to believe in him after he had been crucified among Malefactors. He therefore that could after this by the Spirit and Miracles, bring so many thousands to believe, did show that he was alive himself and in full power.

2. It was the wise design of Jesus Christ, that few in comparison should be converted by his personal converse or teaching, and thousands might be suddenly converted upon his Ascension, and the coming down of the Holy Ghost: Both because his Resurrection and Ascension were part of the Articles to be believed, and were the chiefest of all his Miracles which did convert men: And therefore he would Rise from the dead before the multitude should be called: And because the Spirit as it was his extraordinary Witness and Advocate on Earth, was to be given by him after he ascended into glory; And he would have the World see, that the Conversion of men to Faith and Sanctity, was not the effect of any politick Confederacy between him and ⟨p. 405⟩them, but the effect of Gods Power, Light and Love: so that it should be a great confirmation to our Faith to consider, that those multitudes believed by the wonderfull testimony and work of the Holy Ghost, upon the Disciples, when Christ had been crucified in despight, who yet believed not before, but were his Crucifiers: It was not so hard nor honourable an act to believe in him; when he went about working Miracles, and seemed in a possibility to restore their temporal Kingdom, as to believe in him after he had been crucified among Malefactors. He therefore that could after this by the Spirit and Miracles, bring so many thousands to believe, did shew that he was alive himself and in full power.