f the world, he draws all men after him.
He, by a few fishermen, not commanders, nor orators, persuades the world,
and within a few years, that crucified Lord is adored further and wider
than any empire did ever stretch itself. All the power, majesty, and
success of Alexander, could never persuade the nations, no, not his own
followers, to adore him as God.(234) But here one nailed to the cross,
crowned with thorns, rejected of all men, and within a little space,
adored, worshipped, suffered for throughout the nations, yea, kings and
emperors casting down their crowns at his feet, many thousands counting it
their honour to die upon that account. And do not the trophies of these
apostolic victories remain to this day, in every corner of the world,
after so many hundred years, in so many different and so far distant
nations,--that same name preached and all knees bowing to it? These things
considered, how much done, and by means worse than nothing, it transcends
all the miracles that ever the world wondered at. Now, my beloved, these
things I mention for this end, that ye may be persuaded upon sure grounds,
that he who is preached unto you, is God able to save you, and according
to the evidence of these grounds, ye may believe in him, and give that
cordial assent to these everlasting truths, and that welcome entertainment
to him in your heart that becomes. I think certainly there is very little,
even of this solid assent and persuasion of the gospel, in the hearts of
the most part, because they take things or names rather implicitly, and
never seriously consider what they believe, and upon what grounds. But I
know not a more pleasant and profitable meditation than this, if we would
enter into a serious consideration of the truth and certainty of these
things we have received. O how would such evidence open the heart to an
entire and full closure with them, and embracement of them!

Sermon V.

1 John i. 3.--"That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto
you, that ye also may have fellowship with us," &c.

There are many things that you desire to hear, and it may be are usually
spoken of in public, which the generality of men's hearts are more carried
after. But truly, I should wrong myself and you both if I should take
upon me to discourse in these things, which, it may be, some desire, for
direction or information concerning the times, for I can neither speak of
them with so much certainty of pers