But where are the Gods of Babylon and Egypt, Greece and Rome, the illustrious names of Saturn and Jupiter, Juno and Diana? where are the Gods which our British and Saxon Ancestors worshipped before they received the Light of the glorious Gospel? Are they not all forgotten as dead Men out of mind, and their names written in the dust? But Christ's Holy Religion, though for some Ages it was utterly destitute of all Secular Supports and Advantages, and was assaulted on all hands by the most vigorous Attacks of its daring and most implacable Enemies, yet it hath strangely weathered its point, and is in being, and, thanks be to God, in some places in a flourishing state to this day: Its ⟨p. 32⟩cause an opposed, 1but never a baffled cause: Let us turn aside now, and see this great sight, a Bush burning and yet not consumed, and say, The Lord is in it of a Truth: Come and see the Captain of our Salvation riding forth in the Chariot of the everlasting Gospel,2 with his Crown upon his Head, and his Bow in his Hand, conquering and to conquer—That which was every where spoken against Christianity,3 was like the Viper which fastened upon St. Paul's Hand, it gave people occasion to think very ill concerning it, and to look for its speedy fall, as the barbarous people concerning him whom they concluded to be a Murderer, and expected that he should have swollen, or fallen down Dead. But it hath in all Ages shaken those venomous Beasts into the Fire, and taken no harm, and so hath proved its own Divine Original. Let us herein acknowledge the Wisdom and Power of our Lord Jesus,4 who hath so firmly built his Church upon a Rock that the Gates of Hell, i. e. all its Powers, and Policies, and Numbers could never prevail against it. Mahomet, though he industriously adapted his Religion, to the Sensual Appetites of Men, whose Reason only, and not their Lusts, could object against it,5 yet he obtained no strength, nor interest at all, till by a thousand Artifices he had got the Power of the Sword, and with it forbade any upon pain of Death to speak against him or his Doctrine; charging his first Followers, who were to propagate his Religion, if they met with any that objected against it, not to dispute with them, but to kill them immediately: By which means that grand Imposture in a little time got some footing in the world;
But where are the Gods of Babylon and Aegypt, Greece and Rome, the illustrious names of Saturn and Iupiter, Iuno and Diana? where are the Gods which our British and Saxon Aucestors worshipped bofore they received the Light of the glorious Gospel? Are they not all forgotten as dead Men out of mind, and their names written in the dust? But Christ's Holy Religion, though for some Ages it was utterly destitute of all Secular Supports and Advantages, and was assaulted on all hands by the most vigorous Attacks of its daring and most implacable Enemies, yet it hath strangely weather'd its point, and is in being, and, thanks be to God, in some places in a flourishing state to this day: Its ⟨p. 32⟩cause an opposed, 1but never a baffled cause: Let us turn aside now, and see this great sight, a Bush burning and yet not consum'd, and say, The Lord is in it of a Truth: Come and see the Captain of our Salvation riding forth in the Chariot of the everlasting Gospel,2 with his Crown upon his Head, and his Bow in his Hand, conquering and to conquer—That which was every where spoken against Christianity,3 was like the Viper which fasten'd upon St. Paul's Hand, it gave people occasion to think very ill concerning it, and to look for its speedy fall, as the barbarous people concerning him whom they concluded to be a Murtherer, and expected that he should have swollen, or fallen down Dead. But it hath in all Ages shaken those venomous Beasts into the Fire, and taken no harm, and so hath prov'd its own Divine Original. Let us herein acknowledge the Wisdom and Power of our Lord Jesus,4 who hath so firmly built his Church upon a Rock that the Gates of Hell, i. e. all its Powers, and Policies, and Numbers could never prevail against it. Mahomet, though he industriously adapted his Religion, to the Sensual Appetites of Men, whose Reason only, and not their Lusts, could object against it,5 yet he obtain'd no strength, nor interest at all, till by a thousand Artifices he had got the Power of the Sword, and with it forbad any upon pain of Death to speak against him or his Doctrine; charging his first Followers, who were to propagate his Religion, if they met with any that objected against it, not to dispute with them, but to kill them immediately: By which means that grand Imposture in a little time got some footing in the world;
- 1Exod. 3. 3, 4.
- 2Rev. 6. 2.
- 3Acts 28. 3.
- 4Mat. 16. 18.
- 5See the learned Dr. Humphrey Prideaux's excellent History of the Life of Mahomet lately published.See the learned Dr. Humfrey Prideaux's excellent History of the Life of Mahomet lately published.
