Divine efficacy without humane power. Opened in a sermon preached at St. Margarets Church…

2. The propagation wholly from the Spirit, when mountains of opposition and persecution, the gates of Hell and powers of darkness combined against it. Now for a doctrine which taught men to deny themselves, to renounce the world, to take up a Cross, to suffer Afflictions, and follow Christ without the camp, bearing his reproach, for such a doctrine to prevail over the world by twelve weak and naked men, upon the promise of things not seen, and the hopes of reward in another world, cannot be ascribed to the wisdom of man, but only to the Spirit of God, by whom alone the weapons of our warfare are mighty.

2. The propagation wholly from the Spirit, when mountains of opposition and persecution, the gates of Hell and powers of darknesse combin'd against it. Now for a doctrine which taught men to deny themselves, to renounce the world, to take up a Cross, to suffer Afflictions, and follow Christ without the camp, bearing his reproach, for such a doctrine to prevaile over the world by twelve weak and naked men, upon the promise of things not seen, and the hopes of reward in another world, cannot be ascribed to the wisdom of man, but onely to the Spirit of God, by whom alone the weapons of our warfare are mighty.

It is a spiritual Building, and therefore not reared by humane power, a Kingdom un-attended with worldly splendour, and therefore cometh not with observation, Luke 17. 20. The Enemies of it for the most part spiritual, and therefore not vanquished but by a spiritual power, Eph. 6. 12. 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. No humane power able to encounter, no humane wisdom to disappoint ⟨p. 36⟩the gates of Hell. None but he who is the power and wisdom of God, hath power enough to overcome, or wisdom enough to defeat the Kingdom of darkness. The special end which God had in erecting the Church, was, to glorify his power, wisdom and grace in the nothingness of the matter, out of which he framed it. The visible world, as it doth by the beauty, order, and greatness thereof set forth the glory of God, so in nothing more then this, that all this great being is made out of nothing. Now Gods glory is more magnified in the Church then in the world. The Church is the Jewel, the world but the Ring wherein it is set. The World, an House or Farm for Creatures and Tenants to dwell in. The Church, Gods own Palace, wherein he dwells himself,