A discourse concerning meekness and quietness of spirit to which is added, A sermon…

2. Upon what […] they said this. They were now appointing a time to discourse with St. Paul upon the grand Question in debate, whether Jesus of Nazar••• was […] Messiah or no. And they seemed willing to hear what that great Man had to say […] defence of the Religion he preached, We desire (say they) to hear of thee what […] —Now one would expect that […] good a Cause, managed by such a skilful Advoca•• would not but carry the day, and be Victorious, and that they would all have been brought over to the belief of Christianity; But we find v. 24. that it proved otherwise; after all, there were those that believed not, and the Text intimates the reason of their Infidelity, they came to hear the word under a Prejudice; They had already imbibed an ill opinion of the way, which right or wrong they resolved to hold fast; And tho' some of them by the help of Divine Grace got over this stumbling Block, that like the Bereans were more Noble than the rest,¹ and of freer thought: yet many of them continued under the power of those Prejudices, and were sealed up under Unbelief, v. 26. 27. Thus is the Power of the Word in many, baffled by the Power of Prejudice. They do not believe, because they are resolved they will not: They conclude that no good thing can come out of Nazareth,² and will not be persuaded to come and ⟨p. 4⟩see: Thus do they prejudge the Cause,³ answering the matter before they bear it, and it will pro•e folly and shame to them.

2. Upon what 〈…〉 they said this. They were now appointing a time to discourse with St. Paul upon the grand Question in debate, whether Iesus of Nazar••• was 〈…〉 Messiah or no. And they seem'd willing to hear what that great Man had to say 〈…〉 defence of the Religion he preach'd, We desire (say they) to hear of thee what —Now one would expect that good a Cause, managed by such a skilful Advoca would not but carry the day, and be Victorious, and that they would all have been brought over to the belief of Christianity; But we find v. 24. that it prov'd otherwise; after all, there were those that believed not, and the Text intimates the reason of their Infidelity, they came to hear the word under a Prejudice; They had already imbib'd an ill opinion of the way, which right or wrong they resolved to hold fast; And tho' some of them by the help of Divine Grace got over this stumbling Block, that like the Bereans were more Noble than the rest,