Again, look upon the persons that were to manage it, the contempt- ibleness of the instruments which God used in promoting the word ; a few fishermen, destitute of all worldly props and aids, of no power, wealth, wisdom, authority, and other such advantages as were wont to beget a repute in the world ; yet they preached, and converted many nations. They had no public interest, and were not backed with the power and authority of princes, as superstitions are wont to prevail by
440 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XXVIII.
their countenance and example : ' Every one seeketh the face of the ruler ; ' but the gospel had gotten firm footing in the world long ere there was a prince to countenance it ; there were many to persecute it, but none to profess it. It is notable that at first, as God's instruments were poor and contemptible, so were the persons that received their message : James ii. 5, ' Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised ? ' He speaketh it as a known observation in that age. Though now, as the church is constituted, it is other- wise, and sometimes God chooseth the rich, and sometimes the poor ; but then those that were poor and despicable, that it might be known they were not moved with any outward respects to profess the truth, and that the glory of his power might be known, in preserving and propagating religion, when destitute of worldly succours and supports. ]Se videretur authoriiate traxisse aliquos, saith Ambrose, et veritatis ratio, non pompce gratia proivaleret. It was much that Christianity, supported by such (to appearance) despicable instruments, should hold up the head : yea, the powers of the world were against it ; bonds and sufferings and afflictions and deaths did abide them everywhere, horrible tortures, and very frequent ; never did war, pestilence, or famine sweep away so many as the first persecutions. Thus were christians murdered and butchered everywhere, and yet still they mul- tiplied, and were not frightened by their calamities ; as the Israelites grew by their oppression in Egypt, or as a tree that is lopped sendeth out the more sprouts. Christianity flourished most when the scorch- ing heat of persecution was at the highest.
And as they were without power and worldly interests, so they had not such gifts of art, eloquence, and policy as the world had, with •whom they had to deal. You see, in the scriptures, all is carried on in a plain way, without art and pomp of words. Paul was learned in- deed, but he layeth aside his ornaments, lest the power of the cross of Christ should be made void : 1 Cor. ii. 3-5, ' And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.' And they were to deal with men of excellent parts and learning, some of which received the gospel. And pray mark, this plain doctrine was opened in that part of the world where arts most flourished, and at that time ; for about the time of our Saviour's coming, curious arts and other civil disciplines were are at the height and uKtirj ; yet, as Aaron's rod devoured the magicians' serpents, so was the gospel too hard for all, and got ground. And pray mark again, which is another circum- stance, it prevailed not by force of arms, or the long sword, as all dot- ages and superstitions are wont to do ; this was the way of Cain, Jude 11 ; the christian religion prevailed by the word and patience of the saints : Christ's sword is in his mouth ; and Ps. viii. 2, ' Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies, that thou mayest still the enemy and the avenger.' Again, this way seemed to the world a novel way ; they were leavened with prejudices, and bred up by long custom (which was another
VeR. 17.] SERBIONS UPON JOHN XVII. 441
nature) in the worship of idols : 1 Peter i. 18, ' Ye were redeemed not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversa- tions, received by tradition from your fathers.' Men keep to the reli- gion of their ancestors with much reverence. Christ did not seize upon the world as a waste is seized upon by the next comer. Men took up with heathenish rites when they were to seek of a way of worship ; but the ark was to be set up in the temple that was already occupied and possessed by Dagon. The work of those who first pro- moted the faith of the gospel was to dispossess Satan, and to persuade men to renounce a religion received by a long tradition and prescrip- tion of time ; they went abroad to bait the devil, and hunt him out of his territories ; and yet they prevailed in that manner that hath been declared, and to this day doth it prevail. Now errors are not longlived, * the day shall declare it/ 1 Cor. iii. 3. In time they vanish and come to nothing ; when passions are allayed, and worldly interests are changed.