Christ's certain and sudden appearance to judgment

4. That the doctrine which they preached was, 1. New to the world, and tended directly to pull down the old religion, and superstitious worship of the heathenish gods, which they had been brought up in, and wedded unto, which could not be done by any humane power.

2. Strange, they preached such things as were above reason, and therefore the world might have had much show and pretence of reason, to have excused themselves from yielding obedience thereunto.

3. Strict, severe, and contrary unto natural inclination and interest, they taught the world to deny themselves, to crucify the flesh, to mortify the deeds of the body, to take up the cross, to mourn and weep for sin, to endure hardship, to forsake father, and mother, and wife, ⟨p. 186⟩and children, and houses, and lands, if they stood in competition with Jesus Christ; to venture imprisonments, yea to lay down their life for Christ, as many of necessity must and did do, that would be Christians indeed in those days; and when the Doctrine of the Gospel was such, surely it was not likely of it self to receive entertainment, unless the power of God had accompanied it.

3. Strict, severe, and contrary unto natural inclination and interest, they taught the world to deny themselves, to crucifie the flesh, to mortifie the deeds of the body, to take up the cross, to mourn and weep for sin, to endure hardship, to forsake father, and mother, and wife, ⟨p. 186⟩and children, and houses, and lands, if they stood in competition with Jesus Christ; to venture imprisonments, yea to lay down their life for Christ, as many of necessity must and did do, that would be Christians indeed in those daies; and when the Doctrine of the Gospel was such, surely it was not likely of it self to receive entertainment, unless the power of God had accompanied it.